Attack of the fleshmongers
by Boz1310
Summary: Diana Lombard disbands from her ragtag team at the Center and becomes a successful doctor. Ten years later, she receives a visit from Martin concerning a horrifying and mysterious case. With the help of an amiable British transfer, they attempt to catch the extraterrestrial culprits, only to discover that the villains are much closer to home than they had originally conceived.
1. Back to the Beginnning

**Attack of the Fleshmongers**

**Boz1310**

_Word Count: 1,260_

_Warning: I do not own Martin Mystery nor do I own any of the characters with the exception of my OC Lewis Harper who will be introduced in later chapters._

_AN: Tad bit AU- Set 10-20 years after the final episode of MM_

_Enjoy!_

**Chapter 1**

Diana Lombard awoke to the sound of everything ringing at once. That's right- it was 4:00 am on a Sunday and everything seemed to demand her attention. Struggling to turn off her alarm clock- the one in which she _had_ set to eight the previous night- she grabbed her slippers and made a quick dash to the phone.

Picking up the phone, she rubbed her eyes and barked out, "Dr. Lombard, how may I help you?" To her bemusement, it was one of those pre-recorded messages that companies- who were too cheap to hire human telemarketers- would send out. She always assumed that the big wigs of the company never expected any actual positive results, but merely sent them out to the common people just to annoy the heck out of them.

"Good morning," said the cheerful robotic voice, "You have been selected to be part of a nation wide survey concerning-"

"Can it, Terminator." She growled and hung up before the voice recording could have a chance to explain itself. Normally, she would not have been as rude, but seeing as it was an ungodly hour and the telemarketer was AI, she simply could not contain herself.

To top it all off, the doorbell began ringing. The ringing changed to knocking and to her frustration, ringing and knocking in a steady but nerve-wracking rhythm. She let out a puff of hot air. There was only one person who would act like that regardless of time.

She stormed towards the door, forgetting to step over the cord of the telephone and tripped rather ungracefully onto her plush carpet. At that moment the infernal racket stopped and the door opened.

"And a good morning to you! What was keeping you sis, you took so long I had to let myself in…" the voice exclaimed, but stopped short after nearly tripping over her body. The blond haired man let out a chuckle and pulled out his phone.

"I can see 'we' are not a morning person." He tsked playfully, pressing the 'record' button on his android. Diana gnashed her teeth together with a snarl as she attempted to get up and snatch the phone from her brother's hands in one swift motion. She failed miserably as he sidestepped to the left, leaving her on her face again.

"Martin Mystery, if you do not turn that off right now, I will bash your face in with a frying pan!"

"Threatening to murder someone when they are using a recording device of significant quality, real smart doc." Martin said, as Diana got up, steadied herself, and self-consciously adjusted her sleeping robe. To her dismay, he was still filming.

"I mean it, Martin." She crossed her arms and frowned as her stepbrother put away the phone. Once he done that, she angrily demanded, "What the hell are you doing here?"

"What?" Martin blinked with the innocence equivalent to a thousand puppies. "I can't visit my little sister of whom I adore?"

"Not without an ulterior motive." She retorted. "Especially at 4 in the morning." With that, Martin sat down and handed her a Manila envelope. His expression darkened.

"We could really use you again Agent Lombard."

Diana stopped short and turned back with a smile. "Agent Lombard." She said thoughtfully, more to herself than to anyone else. "I haven't heard that name in a while."

Martin agreed with a curt nod. "Could you make some coffee?"

"Thanks." Martin said as she handed him a mug of coffee and a plate of bacon, eggs and toast. The coffee was instant, the eggs were overcooked and the bacon was almost unbearably oily. Nonetheless Martin dug into the meal as soon as she put the plate down.

"That's good." He said between mouthfuls, ignoring the look of disbelief on his sister's face. "Y'know, I haven't eaten anything this filling in a while."

Diana took a better look at her brother. What he said was certainly true. He had lost a significant amount of weight since the last time she saw him, albeit seeming to be in good health. _'That's a relief' _she thought to herself and suppressed a smile. Remembering the conditions of many of the missions they had been on, she figured he still never had the time to sit down and eat something that came on a plate.

"Yeah, you look like you needed it."

Martin answered with that charming grin of his. The smile turned into a questioning glance when he noticed he was the only one eating.

"You didn't make yourself any." He stated, pushing his half-finished plate to her. She pushed it back.

"No thanks, I'm a vegetarian." She shrugged, getting up again to retrieve her own breakfast. _'Yogurt, bread and an avocado it is.' _She thought disdainfully when she was unable to find any other edible substances in her fridge. _'Lucky me.'_

"I could never do that. I love meat too much." Martin declared, taking a large bite out of a strip of bacon to prove his point.

"Once again, you look like you need it." Diana smirked, drinking her coffee. Raising an eyebrow, she pointed out, "Are eye bags a trend this year?" Martin responded by giving her a thumbs up.

"Brings out the colour of my eyes." He said sardonically. They both shared a laugh. Diana was surprised at how well they were getting along. She could remember it being the complete opposite when they were younger. Much to the annoyance of their friends and family, they would constantly be at each other's throats, squabbling or finding some other way to inflict emotional and physical pain onto the other. Martin had really grown up- and so had she.

"How are the parents?" she asked. She knew she was treading on thin ice. It had been awhile since she saw their parents and she just had to know how they were doing.

"Mom is…mom. Dad is, well, dad." Martin shrugged, playing with the crumbs on his plate. "They really haven't changed at all Di, besides the fact of wanting to see you more often." This was said with hint of bitterness in his voice. Remembering the tense relationship between their father and Martin, Diana knew it was time to change the conversation.

"And Java?" she grinned at the thought of their big, playful caveman friend who was as loyal as he was strong and brave in all situations.

"Java is in charge of caring for the creatures at the Center." Martin smiled. The positive change in the atmosphere was a stark contrast to the negativity only seconds before. It couldn't be helped; they both loved their friend very much.

"Java always was very nurturing." Diana agreed. "That job seems very suitable."

"At any rate, it's helping him overcome his fear of technology and cats." Martin laughed.

"I really miss the big guy." Diana murmured soberly.

"Which is why you must help us with this mission." Martin said seriously, as she opened the large envelope. "Small talk aside, it is one hell of a case."

_AN: Thanks for reading. More chapters will be posted soon. Of course, reviews and comments can always speed up the process so feel free to PM me! _

_Cheers,_

_BOZ1310- May 4, 2013 _


	2. Getting somewhere

"It all started a few months ago on this dirt road west of London." Martin explained as Diana looked through the contents of the envelope.

"Ontario?" she asked cheekily. Her brother responded with a roll of his eyes.

"Hilarious, Di. London, as in the capital of the United Kingdom. You know as much as I do that nothing _ever _happens in London, Ontario." He remarked rather sardonically and went on explaining the case. "And, actually, now that I think about it, it's closer to Durham. No, Diana, not in Ontario either. People have started disappearing in totally mysterious ways, as if they just 'teleported' away- for a lack of a better word."

Diana felt her eyes widen at the numbers on the page. "Wow, 20 people in 5 months?"

"Yeah, and those are just the reported missing persons. Since the beginning of March, people have just begun dropping off the grid. There were no signs of struggling either. Just their own footsteps walking in one direction, and then… nothing." Martin finished cryptically.

"Could they just be serial kidnappings? Did you inform the police?" Diana asked. Martin rolled his eyes. She was still as skeptical as ever.

"I doubt it sis. The victims have nothing in common." He explained and then handed her some more papers. "Get this; there were people who disappeared exactly the same way over a hundred years ago, in the exact same place, never to be seen again…"

"So… aliens." Diana muttered, collecting Martin's plate, of which he had practically licked clean, and her own, and placed them in the sink.

"The only logical explanation." Martin grinned. "Something paranormal at least. Up for the mission?" Diana did not have to think about it for very long.

"Count me in!" she nodded. "I'll just call the hospital and-"

"I've got it covered." He said firmly. Diana smiled, knowing full well he had arranged her absence long before he had showed up at her flat.

"Alright then, just me a second to change and then we can leave." She added slipping into her bedroom.

Martin waited for all of 2 minutes before becoming bored. He just couldn't help it. Even as a youth he would always be found jumping off the walls and others places. He remembered being diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder when he was a young lad. Although the doctor suggested prescribing medicine to help, his parents decided against it. His mom believed-very firmly- that he was no different from the other children, at least not in a negative way.

His mom, his birth mother. She had died when he was seven years old- of brain cancer. It had been terminal and it seemed that she was there one minute and gone the next. And so was his father, not physically of course, but emotionally. After the death of his mother, Martin and his dad never got along in the same way. His father dealt with the death in his own special way. He became so immersed in his work that he barely noticed Martin anymore. He seemed to be drowning in archaeology with no one to throw him a life saver. Until that fateful day he met Diana's mother. Despite the fact that the bride to be would be replacing his mother, Martin was ecstatic when learning upon the fact that his father was remarrying. After all, the look on his father's face on the wedding day was pure, unspoiled joy and Martin hadn't seen that emotion in a long time.

"Mom." He said quietly and sorrowfully to himself. It pained him to know that if it wasn't for the picture of her he kept on him at all times, he would no longer remember what she looked like. The memory of her was fading way faster and faster and he knew that eventually he wouldn't be able to recall her face anymore. Banishing away the sad but inevitable truth, he channeled his thoughts elsewhere.

As Diana was changing and powdering her nose-or whatever it was that women did, he found solace in rummaging through her apartment. "_Condo"_ he corrected himself. _"I guess being a doctor really does have its financial benefits_." He continued looking through her drawers and such and thought ruefully, "_I save the world on a daily basis, where is my paycheck and overflowing bank account?"_

The flat was designed very nicely and clearly by a professional who knew what he was doing. "Contemporary." He thought, using some of the words he had learned in a high school art course. It had an office feel to it. A doctor's office at that. Diana had many a bookshelf, ones with fictional classics that were read to them as children and ones with textbooks thicker than cinderblocks that had words Martin couldn't even being to recognize, let alone comprehend. Hanging neatly on the walls were an assortment of diplomas, certificates, and awards, as well as the published essays and reports that helped Diana to earn the former specified. Clearly, she was a very accomplished woman.

The one thing she lacked in her apartment was any sign of a social life. He couldn't see signs of anyone else living with her or even signs that she had visitors or… friends. The only place that was remotely unkempt was her desk. It was piled with textbooks, and her laptop and excess papers were scattered all over the place.

Before he had a chance to look through the contents of the papers, Diana emerged from her room looking a tad bit more cheerful. She was wearing a pair of khakis, a light purple sweater and hiking boots that looked rather new. She hadn't dyed her hair so it was relatively the same since the last time she was on a mission, if not a bit longer.

"Ready to go?" she asked as Martin feigned innocence. With a nod, Martin summoned a portal door with his U- Watch and they walked into it, submerging themselves in the blue that was the Center.

_Word Count: 1,000_

_AN: I am tempted to change the U-watch into the Chronoscan after the French version of this show because let's face it-Chronoscan has a much better ring to it, especially when it's said in a French accent. Please review and comment as such and I'll try and hurry up the chapter process!_

_Cheers,_

_BOZ1310- May 11, 2013_


	3. The Center

"Diana Lombard- CLEAR."

"Martin Mystery- CLEAR" The machine said, as the laser passed over their eyes. Following that, they placed their hands on the scanner, and then stepped onto the glass elevator.

"Going up." Martin said, pressing a button and they began to ascend. Pretty soon Diana could see a bird's eye view of the Center with many recognizable agents still programming the databases, muttering into their computer screens, unbeknownst to the rest of the world. It was as if she had never left and yet she felt disturbed somehow by their seclusion and solace.

"I really can't believe the machine still recognizes me." Diana murmured, "It's been more than a decade since I came here. I would have thought-"

"Yes, we usually would have deleted an agent's information after they disband from this agency," Martin interrupted her. "But usually that's because they've either gone rogue or died and we don't need their immediate info.

"Of course the security scanner only picks up current agents, we had this incident once involving the corpse of an agent and a very-practical- alien." This was said with a shudder. He looked over to see Diana confused. "Long story."

"You kept my stuff though." Diana questioned, "You kept me in the status of a current agent." Martin answered with a shrug, shoving his hands in his pockets with an indignant stiff.

"I knew you would come back." He said matter-of-factly, "I convinced the BOD to keep your stuff. It seemed a waste of time to delete personal information only to have to input it back into the system."

"You had a lot of faith in my return."

"Yeah, well you can't escape this life can you?" Martin laughed bitterly. "Once an agent, always an agent." Diana didn't argue. It was true, what he said. She was bound to return in some shape or form.

"Are you still a field agent?" she asked as they stepped out of the elevator. Martin nodded. His affirmation put a smirk on her face. "Still? I would have thought you'd be promoted to a higher position having worked at the Center for fifteen years."

Martin returned the smirk wholeheartedly.

"I was offered a crap load of new positions." He said, looking proud. "I could've been the new Mystery Organization Manager or part of the Board of Directors." The latter sentence was said with an arrogant tone.

"Why didn't you take the job?" She asked, genuinely curious.

"Well, you've seen M.O.M. She barely went on missions anymore. Her main priority was to watch over the Center, AKA, sitting in an office all day or attending boring meetings. Blech. I'm not a big fan of the acronym either, belittles my masculinity." He squirmed with distaste. "And don't get me started on the B.O.D. I would have to wear a suit!" He stroked his T shirt tenderly.

"So basically you're telling me that you rejected the chance to climb up the corporate ladder because you shirk responsibility, you're an adrenaline junkie, and you hate suits?"

"If you put it that way…" Martin grumbled as they entered the office. "Goodness, to think I was beginning to believe you had actually become a kind hearted human being."

"Way to grow up Martin!" Diana scolded, "I can't believe you would give up such opportunities- and with such lame excuses to boot!"

"Well some of us don't need a piece of paper or an office to feel accomplished." He remarked.

"Don't start-" She warned. She was about to say more when she heard a familiar voice yelling her name.

"Diana! Oh Diana, it's YOU!" A little green figure screamed, whizzing by in his little hovercraft with such speed that she didn't get a chance to say anything before being embraced with a great deal of earnest. "Diana, you came back. Then again, I always knew you would. It's been so long, how I've missed you! Oh happy day!"

The alien began rambling so quickly that his words turned to gibberish and noises of delight. Diana pushed the little extraterrestrial back gently but firmly.

"Billy, it's great to see you again." She would have said, _"How've you been?"_ but found herself once again as the contents of the proverbial 'human burrito". For someone so small, Billy certainly had a tight grip.

"Okay Billy, let her go before you smother her into unconsciousness." Martin said. With that, Billy finally let go and floated behind the desk- M.O.M's desk.

"Wait a second," Diana stammered as Billy proceeded to turn on the holographic computer monitor. "You're the new manager?"

"That's right." Billy smiled. "For the past three years, I have been the M.O.M." he paused and frowned at how strange that sounded, making a personal memo to change that acronym before continuing his explanation. "MOM retired."

"Retired?" Diana exclaimed. "But she should only be in her forties!"

"She retired at forty nine to be exact. She decided to 'pass on the torch' earlier than others. She drives that ice cream truck now and sells her frozen dairy goods near Sherbrooke. "Sherbrooke Sherbets" she calls it."

"It's actually very delicious having been made by someone who occasionally eats alien eyeballs for lunch." Martin pointed out.

"The Center pays well- very well to full-time agents." Billy said, smiling at Diana, and added "If you want to join, there's a spot open for you."

"I think once in a while tickles my fancy just fine thank you." Diana said. Billy shrugged nonchalantly, as all managers of organizations should. But they both knew that deep inside he was disappointed with her answer.

"Anyhoo, I believe that Martin has reviewed the case with you and so I won't go over it too much." Billy said, "As Java is really busy at the moment, I'm afraid that he can't join you on this case."

"Aww… I was hoping it could be just like old times." Diana moaned.

"Not to worry. Actually, back on track-" Billy spoke directly to Martin this time. "There will be another agent joining you, seeing as this mission is dealing with what we believe are extremely perilous creatures. He's a transfer."

Martin made no effort to hide his displeasure. "So essentially we're going to be babysitting this person throughout the entire mission?" He normally worked alone and enjoyed it- not that he minded his sister accompanying him since he was used to her as a partner. But a total stranger coming along for the ride?

"He's not a rookie if that's what you're thinking. In fact, he was the best of his group." Billy explained seriously, "You see, the Center has many headquarters located all around the world, China, Brazil, to name a few.

"The HQ in London, UK specifically, has trained some of the best field agents in the entire history of this organization. Since you're going to London anyway, the London manager and I agreed that he could join you two for one last mission in his home country before coming to work here."

"What happened to his team?" Martin asked. "What made him want to transfer?"

"It wasn't a matter of choice." Billy's expression changed into that of a solemn one. "Every last member of his group, excluding him of course, perished in a mission involving life forms of particular danger."

"Who is he?" Diana asked, interested in the identity of the agent who was as, if not more, renowned than her brother.

"Agent Lewis Harper. He'll meet up with you guys in London at the Space Place Café." The little green manager finished before they could ask anymore questions. Opening a portal, he waved them off.

"Come on, Di, don't dawdle." Martin smiled. "Let us go meet this Agent Harper fellow."

_Word Count: 1,300_

_AN: Gasp, could it be? Has the plot finally progressed? Nah, that'll probably be in the next chapter. Still, hope you enjoyed this one. The ending did include my OC and you will see much more of him in later chapters. Once again, feel free to favourite, follow, review or whatever. Any questions can go straight to my PM box and I will make sure to answer them as quickly as possible. _

_Cheers,_

_BOZ1310- May 14, 2013_


	4. Meeting the Agent

"G'day guvnor!" Martin said to a pedestrian whilst doing a fancy jig. "Do y'know where I can find an alien?" This was said with a faux British accent. His query earned him a glare from the stranger followed by a scared look from a nearby child.

"Why don't you try Cardiff?" The man snarled, turning his coat up against the wind and briskly walking away.

"British people, you would think they could dislodge the sticks up their asses on occasion when a joke is told and actually try to laugh." Martin shook his head. Diana, who was a bystander (but pretended to be a total stranger) during the incident, finally approached him with a snarl.

"That was the most humiliating experience I've ever been through with you Martin Mystery!" She yelled, attracting the attention of passing people. Noticing the disapproving glances, she lowered her volume, but not her ferocity. Martin on the other hand, took no note of the hints given by the people on the street and continued speaking in the same volume.

"I beg to differ!" Martin said, "I can name at least three other way more embarrassing moments!" He proceeded to dodge a blow aimed at the back of his head.

"First of all Martin," Diana angrily whispered, "That wasn't a British accent. It wasn't even remotely close to one. In fact, I think you offended the guy and possibly damaged his self identification as a British man. Secondly, I cannot believe that you would go around mentioning aliens and what not when we are on a very serious mission. Hello? If you hadn't noticed by now, we are part of a _secret_ organization that deals with world-endangering extraterrestrials and other elements of phantasmagoria."

"Okay who even says 'phantasmagoria'?" He replied with a laugh. "And it's not like anyone would believe what we do is real Di, even if we told them with a serious tone."

"I know, but we can't take these risks. We're in an unfamiliar city on the other side of the world. The last thing we want to do is jeopardize our situation." She said, ignoring the giggles Martin was suppressing.

"Seriously though, who says 'phantasmagoria'? In the words of the great Spanish swordsman, Inigo Montoya "I do not think it means what you think it means"." He said with a mocking Spanish accent.

"Martin, stop quoting The Princess Bride!"

"It sounds more like a genre of porn that horny aliens watch to-"

"You are so immature, it's not even funny." She retorted as they entered the café where they were scheduled to meet Agent Harper. It was one of those cheap and slightly rundown nerd cafés where you could chat about aliens and mythical creatures to your heart's content without getting a single suspicious stare or frightened look. It was called 'The Space Place'. The name suited the café. _Cliché and juvenile,_ thought Diana dryly.

"I really do miss having you on these missions." Martin admitted quietly as they found their designated seats. After ordering some drinks from a waitress in a revealing uniform, he continued his thoughts. "While I have to admit being a solo agent has its perks, it really does, but…"

"You must get lonely." Diana said sympathetically.

"You have no idea," he laughed grimly, thinking about all the times he had been lonely during stakeouts, wishing for someone-anyone's presence. He thought about all the times he would lay on a bed in some dingy motel, waiting for sleep to claim him as the mattress springs squeaked with his every move, picturing someone next to him.

"Well it's not much better for me." She sighed. "At least you have an excuse that is so crazy and exciting, it works. While it is just about the most unreasonable thing anyone will ever hear, it doesn't make you look all…" She stopped short, thinking of a metaphor.

"Forty year old virgin?" Martin finished. Diana grimaced.

"Yeah, I guess so." She said, pinching the bridge of her nose in frustration. "Despite what Grey's Anatomy has been trying to tell us, doctors are not really that sexy… Holy crap, I am an anti-social freak aren't I?"

"I was wondering how long it would take for the truth to dawn on you." Martin joked, trying to liven up her spirit. "With your massive intellect, it sure took a while."

"You are hilarious." She replied scathingly, but he could tell she was feeling better. "Say, when is Agent Harper coming? We've been waiting nearly twenty minutes!"

Suddenly, they heard the little ringing sound made by the bell hanging from the door when someone opened it. Martin tilted his head to the right to get a better glance at the entrance.

"Speak of devil Di, I think it's him."

Sure enough the man took a look at the booths, noticed Martin staring at him and proceeded towards them with an open-mouthed smile. Then he approached them with an air of suspicion, albeit a little dramatic. He was of above average height, and fairly muscular with dark brown hair slightly coiffed and a motorcycle helmet sandwiched between his arm and hip. His sunglasses glinting in the sunlight and his leather jacket gave him a very confident and go-with-the-flow kind of attitude. Supporting his body with his right elbow on the side of the chair, he leaned in and whispered,

"Are you from the Center?"

This was demanded with an overly dramatic tone but a real cockney accent that was on the heavy side. Martin and Diana glanced at each other before looking back at the man and gave him serious nods. Apparently that method of confirmation wasn't enough for the British agent.

"I want some proof. Show me your IDs." The British agent held out his hand, fingers twitching anxiously.

Diana began to pull her card out, but the agent stopped her halfway.

"His card alone is perfectly fine." He said as his head turned in Martin's direction. His sunglasses prevented Martin from seeing if he was truly looking at him. It was safe to say that he was both nervous and annoyed.

"Look," he waved his wrist at the alleged 'Agent Harper'. "I have a U-Watch. That is plenty of proof." The man's belief was not shaken and he held his ground.

"The ID. I won't ask again." He said with the mild undertone of a threat. Growling, Martin handed his Center Identification card over to the man who began examining it intently. Shortly after, he handed it back slowly with a much friendlier expression and tone. He removed his glasses, revealing bright green eyes.

"Thank you Agent Mystery. Great name by the way, it really suits the line of work." He sat down juxtaposed to Diana, and waved a waiter over. Only when all orders were placed and the waiter left did they begin to talk to one another.

"You take your job very seriously." Martin said, still processing the situation that had just occurred. Instead of the grim-looking expression he had been expecting from Agent Harper, he got a sheepish-looking smile.

"What happened before, yeah, um- I just wanted your ID so I could get your number." He answered, grinning and scratching the back of his head in an abashed manner. "I thought the whole 'macho-James Bond-agent' stuff would add to my sexual appeal.

Martin quickly checked his ID and realized there was, indeed, a little slip of paper with numbers written on it, presumably the other agent's cell-phone number. He gave Diana a puzzled glance and she returned it with a smirk and a small shrug that clearly said 'I don't know how to help, deal with it on your own!'

"I admire your effort?" Martin replied, wincing when his voice cracked. He was still not quite sure what the proper reaction was. The agent gave a small laugh and stuck out his hand.

"Agent Lewis Harper." He said. "The pleasure's all mine."

"Well, he is certainly…" Diana started. "for a lack of a better word, eager."

She and Martin had been sitting alone again as Agent Harper excused himself to use the bathroom.

"I'll say," Martin groaned. "A little too eager for my liking."

"Now you know how most of the girls felt back at Torrington with you around." Diana muttered into her drink. Martin pretended not to hear her.

"And of course he's gay." She sighed. "And I was thinking that I would…I really can't catch a break, can I?"

"Even if he wasn't gay, you still wouldn't catch a break." He said, suddenly groaning with pain and clutching his shin. "Kicking me isn't going to change that Di."

"I know. It makes me feel better though." She smirked, watching her brother rub his leg in discomfort. With an angry exhale, she took a bite out of her sandwich. It was just then when Agent Harper came strolling back to their seats with an award-winning smile. Diana noticed that the eyes around the room seemed to be fixated upon him and him only. And he was feeding off the attention, absorbing it as a plant would absorb sunlight. And just like a plant, it seemed to be a complete necessity. Finally, after returning every stare with a smile and a wink, he sat down.

"About time," Martin chided, drumming his fingers impatiently on the table. "And I thought I was bad." He murmured to Diana who held back a grin.

"Sorry about that," Harper said. "Let's get on with this case."

_Word Count: 1,720_

_AN: Sorry I have not updated this in a while and congratulations to you masochists out there, it makes me feel super guilty. I would come up with a better excuse since school and exam stuff is pretty mediocre, but I won't since I don't have one. Nonetheless, this is the last 'prologue' kind of chapter and I promise that I will get on with the case in the next one! Also, happy Independence day to people celebrating that! I don't since I'm Canadian and I have already drank enough maple syrup and hugged enough beavers to last me until the next Canada Day._

_ Once again, feel free to favourite, follow, review or whatever. Any questions can go straight to my PM box and I will make sure to answer them as quickly as possible. _

_Cheers,_

_BOZ1310- July 4th, 2013_


	5. The Bodies

As they sat on those obscenely-coloured, pleather-covered seats with cold beverages in hand; they began to discuss the investigation they were sent on. Martin took out the manila envelope from Diana's bag and spilled its contents on the table before them. He and Diana quickly explained to Agent Harper the mysterious circumstances that made up the case.

"For the past five months, a noticeable number of people have been vanishing in this exact spot." He pointed to an area on a slightly wrinkled map of the United Kingdom. "It is a dusty road in an empty field off the edge of Durham. They have been disappearing at random intervals and no one, including the municipal police, is quite sure why this is the case. Nor can they pinpoint suspects or a motive. As a result, the Center suspected it was alien activity."

"So it is essentially the British Bermuda Triangle?" Agent Harper said dryly. Martin shrugged and fought back a chuckle.

"If you want to put it that way," Diana agreed. "I suppose it is."

"Wait, I don't get it?" Agent Harper inquired, squinting his eyes at them. "If this has been happening for five months, why hasn't the Center done anything about it? We're usually brought up to date about this kind of stuff at a quicker pace, especially with this many disappearances."

"The Center in the UK has been monitoring the activity of this area for the past month, but they have had difficulty finding anything concrete to convince the government to allow them permission for further exploration. While, people have been vanishing, there have been no actual alien materials or residue left behind. Already this is uncommonly found in types of situations resulted from alien interference. It is a deserted road in the middle of nowhere, so it makes sense for there to be illegal human activity such as kidnapping or murder. Nevertheless, the British government believes it to be human activity. The UN will not grant the Center any additional funding for this project either. After all, we've got to get the money for our technology from somewhere and with the unstable European economy; many of our usual benefactors can't support us as freely. So, the Board of Directors didn't want to waste what we had on sending agents to go on a mission with highly circumstantial evidence."

That explanation made sense to Agent Harper as he sorted through the papers and read over the statistics. He had a very troubled expression on his face. Martin realized he was much more sober than he had been minutes ago. He was also aware of how young the agent really was. Finally, Harper put the papers down and gave a long sigh.

"So the reason the Center is finally dealing with this-"

"-Is because we've finally gotten some substantial proof." Martin finished and pulled out another envelope, smaller this time. It was one he had not shown to Diana and for good reasons as well. He pulled out a photograph. It showed the mangled and bloodied body of a woman. It was graphic to say the least. Diana quickly put her hamburger back on the plate.

"It's okay. I didn't want to finish it anyway." She grumbled nauseously. "Some warning next time Martin."

"Sorry Di," He apologized before handing it to Agent Harper. "Bodies have been recently discovered on the nearby fields where the road is located and as you can see, they have been mutilated in some pretty creative ways."

"They really are pretty creative aren't they?" Agent Harper quipped, tilting the photo to the side and raising his eyebrows in shock. He set the picture down and pushed it away from him.

"They're practically original Picassos."

"Damn…"

"Yeah,"

"The body belongs to one Cassidy Richards," Martin explained to the two agents. "She was in her early thirties at the time she disappeared and lived in Manchester. She was last seen four months ago. She was travelling to Edinburgh with her boyfriend, Keith Anderson, to visit her mother. The last stop they made was in Durham and then they were never to be seen again. Missing persons reports were made, but the police made no progress in tracking down the couple. They had been meaning to drop the search when they found these bodies."

"I assume that this body belongs to Keith Anderson?" Diana asked, taking out another photograph from the envelope. It was equally damaged, if not more so. She swallowed back bile and decided to focus on finding out what weapons could have caused such injuries as her doctor instincts quickly kicked in. She was used to treating victims of serious accidents and people in dire need of operations, but she was not accustomed to see images of such grotesqueness and horror.

"We assumed so as well." Martin continued informing both agents of the details he had held back before. "Both bodies were found stripped of clothing as well as other sources of identification. The only reason why we identified Cassidy Richards so quickly was because of the bright red hair present on the body matching the description of her in the missing persons report. These bodies are currently being transported to the headquarters in London where they will be analyzed for further minutiae. I was told we would be brought the details as soon as they are done the autopsies. Hopefully, they will have completed them before more bodies show up."

"That sounds good." Diana said, hailing the waitress with the awfully revealing uniform and asking for the bill.

"I agree," Agent Harper said. "What we should do now is to go to the crime scene and see if we can find anything they've missed. We can camp out for the night and hopefully, we can catch the aliens in the act.

"Good idea Agent Harper." Martin said.

"Call me Lewis." Agent Harper-Lewis- said with a smile.

"Good idea Lewis." Martin said awkwardly, stuffing the papers back in their envelopes. As he was getting up, Diana noticed something in the photograph of the male victim. She grabbed the piece of paper and took out a magnifying glass, carefully inspecting the body.

"What is that Martin?" She asked, giving him the magnifying glass and showing him a small insignia tattooed onto the body. It was a peculiar little image of a multi-pointed star on the man's right thigh.

"Hmm, I'm not quite sure Di," He said, activating his U-Watch and searching for it in the Legendex. As he expected, no results came up. They were back to square one. He checked the other body and found the same symbol. "It doesn't look like the type of tattoo you would get in a tattoo parlor. I think you're on to something Di,"

"No news from the Legendex?" Lewis asked, checking his own to be sure.

"No. So that means that it is some kind of creature the Center has not dealt with yet. It doesn't matter. If it's important enough, we'll find out about it from the report." Martin sighed in frustration. "This means that that campout will be mandatory for us to find out what creatures are behind these disappearances."

"You used to sound so much more excited about the chance of a stakeout." Diana said. Lewis turned his head in her direction in confusion.

"Not with all the stakeouts I've been on since then." Martin muttered under his breath.

"You _used_ to? I thought you guys were partners." He questioned.

"We used to be before Diana left to join the cult of the Ivy League and medical school." Martin explained with a hint of annoyance in his tone. "Now she's a full-fledged doctor. She is just accompanying me on this case because I think I could use the assistance of a highly specialized medical doctor."

"I thought this was a brother-sister get-together!" Diana said angrily. "You could have hired any doctor at the Center to join you. I'm sure there are plenty of those around."

"I needed to be sure that I could fully trust them." Martin said, turning away from his sister. "You can't just trust anyone these days. I've made that mistake before and I won't make it again." This comment made her feel a little better and little bit guilty as well for making such an accusation.

"You guys are siblings?" Lewis asked.

"We're step-siblings." Diana muttered.

"Thank god for that. I thought you guys were together or something."

"Nope, you thought wrong." Martin shivered at the assumption, wondering why some many people had made the same statement before.

"That's perfect then!" Lewis smiled again. "My offer still stands, Martin."

"Thanks, but no thanks." Martin said with a forced smile.

"We'll see…"Lewis said enigmatically. "Well this has been an interesting meeting. Anyways, I've had just about enough with this crappy café."

"Agreed," Diana got up. "Let's go get some camping supplies, grab us a car, and make our way down to Durham."

"Up to Durham," Lewis corrected. "It's a part of Northern England."

"Whatever…" She grumbled, heading out the café door. The other two agents hastily followed.

_Words: 1,610+_

_AN: Oh look! It's another chapter! I wrote it in class just for you because you are oh so special to me… that's correct attractive-looking- person-behind-that-musty-computer-screen, I'm talking to you. _

_As per usual, feel free to favourite, follow, review or whatever. Any questions can go straight to my PM box and I will make sure to answer them as quickly as possible. I would really appreciate comments and suggestions since this is my first multi-chaptered work on this website and I would love to see how I am doing. _

_Cheers,_

_BOZ1310- July 5th, 2013_


	6. The Campsite

They left the café and headed for the nearest convenience store. After grabbing some essentials, they stopped by the Center to pick up an off-roading vehicle specially equipped with the latest, technologically-advanced gadgetry. With the best wishes and pleasant send-off from the British Mystery Organization Manager, they began driving to Durham.

The drive was relatively quiet. Despite the awesome radio system installed in their SUV, Diana decided against the playing (or blasting as she deemed it) of Martin's Iron Maiden CD. As usual, she won that argument and they settled for silence instead. Surprisingly enough, it wasn't as boring as Martin thought it would be. Complete with the conversation between the three of them, started by Lewis, concerning past assignments and their general feelings about the Center, they managed to pass the time in a peaceful atmosphere expected from a drive in the English countryside. When dusk began to fall, they made a quick pit-stop at a gas station to pick up any last items and to use an actual toilet before the awaited camping experience.

Finally, they reached the location of the disappearances. The road was a generic dirt road and the surroundings consisted of qualities similar to the scenery they had been viewing for the past three hours-foggy and grassy plains with the occasional rock or plant imbedded into the dirt. The one aspect that was different was the large mixed forest ominously looming over them. The colour of the trees was a dark and frightening green, so that even without the sunlight, it gave the facade of shadows lingering amongst them. As they neared the crime scene, the peaceful atmosphere earlier felt by the agents shifted into one of desolate isolation. Although the bodies had already been taken to the laboratories by the other agents, there was still blood and bodily residue staining the grass. There was an awful stench in the air and the ground within the bright yellow Crime Scene Tape was teeming with insects and small rodents scavenging for leftovers.

Martin and Lewis quickly analyzed the "slime" with their Slime-scan and Bio-scan, but signs of extraterrestrial activity were not detected. The U-Watch picked up nitrogen, oxygen, and other rudimentary and expected elements. There were no artificial materials present either, at least none visible to the naked eye.

"The results from the autopsies should be delivered to us in few hours." Martin announced suddenly, breaking the somber silence. "We should make camp right away. It will be getting really dark soon."

"I'll go and find us some firewood." Diana said, walking towards the woods.

"Maybe I should go with you." Martin murmured, getting up to follow his sister. However, Diana quickly stopped him. She had the look of exasperation on her face.

"I know what you are doing, Martin," She groaned in frustration. "I'm not a little kid anymore. I'll be perfectly fine by myself."

"I'm not saying you won't be, Diana." Martin said.

"That's exactly what you're saying."

"The firewood will be heavy and we'll need a lot of it-"

"Many hands make light work." Lewis finished, quickly assuming the role of the mediator when noticing the current situation escalating. "Diana, how about I come with you and we can get this done a lot faster. Martin, why don't you set up the tents while there's still some natural light and when we get back, we'll get the fire built and dinner started."

He finished his explanation with a smile and Diana could not help but agree with the plan. Martin followed suit, albeit with reluctance. He was surprised and slightly upset at the sudden shift of power. After all, he was used to leading the team and coming up with the tactics. That being said, Lewis's plan made a lot of sense and he knew that there was not any time to waste debating over a new idea.

"Sounds like a plan," He said. He went over to the SUV to pop open the trunk. He frowned slightly when the door easily opened. He could have sworn that he locked the door when they exited the car. Brushing the thought aside, he took out the bags that held the tent materials and began to set them up. Meanwhile, Diana and Lewis headed for the forest in search of firewood.

Despite the woodsy environment, it was difficult to find twigs and branches that met the requirements to keep a fire alive. Growing restless, Diana began to think about the many patients she was unable to treat given her current involvement with the assignment. More than anything, she was processing Billy's offer. While she enjoyed solving paranormal mysteries with her brother and experiencing the surges of adrenaline that came with the job, she loved the academic qualities of her usual occupation more than anything. She had not yet made a decision when her thoughts were interrupted by a question from her fellow agent.

"Those are some pretty deep thoughts I'm sensing." Lewis said. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"No thank you, if you don't mind." Diana sighed, shifting her concentration back to the task at hand.

"So you're a doctor eh?" Lewis asked, adding another twig to his collection.

"Yes I am."

"PhD or MD?"

"Both." Diana said, blushing when Lewis let out a low whistle.

"Damn. Young, beautiful, and smart, is there anything you aren't?"

_In a relationship_, Diana thought darkly, but did not say aloud.

"What do you specialize in?" He asked, appearing to be more interested by the second.

"Endocrinology." She answered.

"My father is an endocrinologist." Lewis said. "My mother is a radiologist. They met on the job."

"I would assume so." Diana muttered. "You don't get a lot of free time as a doctor, especially in the ER."

There was silence between the two of them for a moment. Diana was aware of Lewis's piercing stare.

"Do you ever regret becoming a doctor? Even in the slightest," He asked. "Do you wish you could have continued working as an agent for the Center?"

"I don't know." She murmured, turning away from him. "I honestly don't know."

Lewis decided not to pry, and with their armfuls of firewood, they headed back to the campsite. However, before they exited the woods completely, Diana noticed a faint rustling in the bushes beside them. Putting down the wood, she approached the undergrowth with caution. Lewis followed quietly behind her. She grabbed a long branch and gently prodded the bush. She felt nothing out of the ordinary and the rustling had stopped.

"That's weird." Diana said, stepping back.

"It was probably just a chipmunk or something." Lewis said passively. But Diana could sense his growing anxiety. "Let's get out of here."

"Good idea," Diana shivered. "This forest is starting to creep me out."

They picked up their pace and had reached the campsite before they knew it. Martin emerged from a tent to greet them.

"The hunter and gatherer have returned!" Lewis shouted dramatically.

"Got the firewood?" Martin asked.

"We've got plenty of it!" Lewis answered, dropping his heavy load on the ground and diving into a tent.

"Did you see anything interesting?" Martin asked, bending over the circle of rocks he had set up earlier to start the camp fire.

"Nothing of interest," Diana answered, banishing the suspicious rustling out of her mind. It really wasn't anything important. It _was _probably some small critter and there was no point in getting worried over it. _Be rational, _she told herself. "What about you?"

"There was nothing here either." Martin said.

"I haven't seen anything paranormal of the sort," Lewis said. "I'm starting to wonder if this is really the responsibility of aliens."

"Of course it is. I'm pretty sure they will pop back here right when they sense their prey. Unbeknownst to them, we'll be prepared to catch them." Martin said. "Now, let's get dinner started."

They had a very humble dinner of baked beans and canned tomato soup. Lewis surprised the two of them with a bag of marshmallows. Originally opposing the idea, Diana joined in roasting the sticky treat. Full from their meal and the additional dessert, they sat back contently.

"So… what are your stories?" Lewis asked them suddenly. The siblings turned to each other in confusion. "What issues do you guys have?"

"What do you mean?" Diana asked when Martin said nothing.

"Trust me on this one." Lewis clarified. "Full time Center agents always have some deep psychological crap imbedded into their system. I think it might be in the job requirement. It's what makes us expendable. I'm speaking to you Martin, mostly anyways, but you can also answer, Diana since you weren't that far off from becoming one of us. What did you guys suffer from? Was it neglect? Did you see something traumatic as a child? Was it the death of a family member? Did you have daddy issues, Martin?"

"Lewis, why don't you help me clear up the plates?" Diana said. Lewis did not follow her.

"Alright Hannibal, I think you're going a little too far with this conversation." Martin said firmly, getting up to tend the fire. He had a troubled expression on his face. Diana had seen it many times before. It was the look Martin had always had during a fight with their father, just before he shut his emotions away and entered a robot-like trance.

"Why do you want to know?" Diana asked.

"It's something I ask all of my partners. I just want to know if we agents are that easy to find."

"What do you mean?"

"We have a tight system, agent." Martin said brusquely.

"Like I said before," Lewis explained seriously, looking directly at Martin. "We're all pretty expendable if you think about it. This job…we don't need things like pensions. We won't ever live long enough to claim them. Don't give me that look. Most of our injuries will lead to death anyways. I don't want to start a revolution or anything like that. I'm just asking because I want to know if I was hired because I'd be easily forgotten-easily replaced. I want to know if my contribution to this organization is really worth my time."

"Don't give us that shit." Martin barked out. "Of course it is. How could you even think that? We don't need anymore rogue agents okay? We've had enough of those."

"That's enough, Martin." Diana said, glaring at her brother.

"I'm just saying-" Lewis started, but Martin angrily cut him off.

"Why don't you share your sob story if you're so damn comfortable about it?!"

"Fine," Lewis said calmly. "I was twelve when I was kicked out of my home by my ever loving father. I dropped out of school, and ended up living in the restroom of a gas station for three months with nothing to accompany me but a useless car battery I used as a stool and stale popcorn for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Shortly after, I got struck by a car. I was rushed to the hospital, but they had no one to contact. I ended up getting a visit from the manager of the Center and was offered this job with food and room and board to boot. How could a homeless and practically disabled kid say no? I've been doing this ever since."

"Your parents were doctors though…" Diana said, remembering the tone Lewis had used to speak about his parents. She had thought he had a higher opinion of them.

"They had quite the reputation to uphold didn't they?" Lewis said, looking up at the sky. "They couldn't have a failure of a son who couldn't understand polynomials and chased after other boys now could they? Not that it mattered, I guess. I think I was always bound to run away."

He stopped. All they could hear was the crackling of the fire. All they could smell was smoke with the hint of white pine and hickory. Despite the words that came out of his mouth, Lewis didn't look depressed or even remotely pained. His tone was completely indifferent, as were his eyes.

"I'm sorry," Martin finally said.

"Don't be- I've the same story as plenty of other agents."

"Well, I am sorry for what you had to go through. But that still doesn't explain why you think so badly of the Center."

"Well, your lack of a sob story doesn't really explain why you think so _highly_ of the Center either." Lewis said. "Quid pro quo, Clarice."

Martin let out a sigh. He spoke quietly, but his voice was unwavering.

"Ever since my mother died, I felt like I could never live up to my father's expectations." Martin said curtly, playing with the zipper on his sweater. "Not in the way Diana could."

"That's not true, Martin." Diana said, wondering how they had started such a discussion with such an uncomfortable topic. "He loves you and believes in you as much as he believes in me. He may be my stepfather, but I love him very much and I do not like hearing you talk about him that way."

"I'm not upset at you, Diana, or at him." Martin smiled sadly. "I'm not jealous either. I'm glad at least one of us made him proud."

"The only thing that made me forget about me being a failure as a son was working as an agent for the Center." Martin continued. "Helping others, defeating the bad guys, saving the world… I had dreamed of this as a child. Even if he couldn't know-even if the ones I had rescued had to forget about me, it made me feel so important… so wanted."

The silence that followed was somehow equally as tense.

"Yeah, you are just as messed up as the rest of us." Lewis said darkly.

"Quid pro quo," Martin snapped.

"Do you know why I'm transferring? I expect that your manager has told you about it."

"Yeah, your partners were killed during an assignment." Diana said.

"They were my family. They were everything to me." Lewis said bitterly. "We trained together as children. They were there for me when I had no one. They supported me and loved me for the person I was, not the person they wanted me to be. And then they died. We were on Alpha Centauri; a space station was invaded by the Nonnab'O- intergalactic pirates who killed anything in their way. We could only manage to hold them off for so long before we were overpowered. The Center didn't even bother to find their bodies and give them the funerals they deserved! They treated it as if it never happened. The Center buried its failure along with the evidence and everyone eventually forgot about them. My team gave up their lives to save the universe itself and nobody will ever know. They died for nothing!"

"I'm so sorry." Diana said, sympathetically. She put her hand gently on his shoulder. She couldn't imagine losing everyone she loved in such a way. Martin said nothing, but he looked very guilty.

"I have no one again." Lewis murmured.

"You have us." Diana insisted, eyes sparkling with unshed tears. Lewis smiled at her naivety.

"I know I'm going to die young and in some horrible way." Lewis croaked, licking his cracked lips. He looked at Martin. "I have accepted that fact a long time ago- since my first mission. I know you have as well, Martin. I just hope we'll be remembered by someone. I just hope it'll be worth it."

Martin nodded but said nothing.

"We should take shifts being on lookout." Diana said, deciding the conversation was over.

"You can go and sleep first, Diana. Martin and I will take the first shift." Lewis said. "We'll be sure to let you know if anything happens."

"Alright then." Diana said with a yawn, realizing that she was very tired. "You let me know if _anything_ happens and be sure to wake me up when it's my shift…" She restated and Lewis reassured her with a thumbs up.

Diana entered her tent, slipped into her sleeping bag and fell asleep immediately.

The two full time agents sat down again, watching the fire die. Lewis took out a bag which contained a few rolled-up joints and offered one to Martin. He politely declined, although he must have shown a look of distaste because Lewis gave him a sheepish smile.

"Do you mind?" Lewis asked. Martin remembered the health classes he had attended as a child and the messages his teachers had drilled into his brain about the use of illegal substances. Nevertheless, he shrugged and allowed Lewis to proceed.

"It's your funeral." He said and Lewis grinned at him.

"Sorry, I developed the habit a while ago and can't seem to quit." He said, putting the tip of the joint into the embers and then into his mouth. He took a long drag and exhaled slowly with a pleased sigh. Martin crinkled his nose at the stench. The smell of marijuana was something else and he felt his eyes tear up. After a few minutes, Lewis's head began to nod. Martin could tell the drug was beginning to take effect.

"Are you sure you don't want one?" He asked, to which Martin refused again. It was clear that he was very high now, especially with the next words that came out of his mouth. "Well, do you want a quick shag?"

Martin stared at his inebriated partner and shook his head.

"I'm good, thanks." He said chuckling. "We're still on a stakeout."

"How about afterwards?" Lewis wiggled his eyebrows and took another puff, spewing white smoke in all directions. "I'll make it worth your while."

"I don't think so."

"You sure though?"

"I'll let you know if I change my mind."

"Your loss, mate."

A few hours had passed before Martin realized he had nodded off. He knew this because he woke to a piercing shriek. His eyes snapped open. It was coming from Diana's tent. Lewis was already running over. Rushing to her as fast as his legs would carry him, he unexpectedly tripped over something in the way.

"Martin…" Diana said, her voice shaking. "Look..."

Martin selected his Alpha Goggles from his U-Watch. He stifled a gasp when he realized what he had tripped over. It was a body, bloodied and mutilated like the ones in the photographs with most of the epidermis stripped clean off. It was unclothed except for a necklace around its neck.

"I heard a sound coming from outside the tent," Diana whispered. "When I opened the flap to check it out, I saw this in front of the entry."

"It's a warning." Lewis said, turning to face his partners with a look of horror on his face. "It means that we're next."

_Words: 3,200+_

_AN: Well… I hope you enjoyed that chapter. It is much longer than the other ones but I had a lot more fun writing it. Once again, class time was spent. I hope you're happy…By the way; the aliens that invaded the intergalactic space station were named after the screenwriter for the kickass movie Alien. (Nonnab'O backwards is O'Bannon!) To people who realized this before this author's note, you have a mighty fine taste in cinema and you win the internet. Congrats… cookies for all of you._

_As usual my internet buddies, feel free to favourite, follow, review or whatever. Any questions can go straight to my PM box and I will make sure to answer them as quickly as possible. _

_Cheers,_

_BOZ1310- July 10__th__, 2013_


	7. Children of the Rye

_Don't vomit, don't you dare vomit. _Diana repeated the mantra over and over again in her head as she knelt on the damp grass to examine the body. The photographs were nothing compared to the firsthand experience of witnessing such a grisly mess. Swallowing back bile, she slipped on a pair of latex gloves. Her coworkers had always thought it seemed a tad bit strange and cynical that she always kept a pair in her pocket, even if she was a doctor. She wished she could tell them that her habit had finally become useful. Borrowing Martin's Alpha Goggles, as it was still pitch black, she began the examination.

"From what I can gather, this is a female, Caucasian and in her mid twenties to thirties judging by her dental structure. She hasn't had her wisdom teeth removed and they've barely grown through." She explained, turning the body over as gently as she could. She shivered slightly when her hands slipped off the body on her first attempt. There was so much blood. "She has most of her epidermis stripped off. This is similar to the other victims so it is most likely, if not certainly the same creature that did this. I think she died from blood loss. There is a large gash in her neck that would have been responsible for severing her right and left carotid artery as well as the jugular artery and the trachea. These cuts would have resulted in massive blood loss. She would have bled out in a few minutes. It's interesting. The carotid arteries are what farmers normally sever when slaughtering their cows or pigs- if they choose that method of killing."

"That's a great analysis, Diana." Martin said encouragingly when he noticed the look of terror in his sister's eyes.

"Not really, I don't specialize in pathology, forensic odontology or forensic anthropology, so I might not be correct." She rambled. "Martin, can you look up the missing persons reports related to this case? Then, check the photographs and look for a matching necklace. The killers have left it on the body for a reason."

"I'll do it!" Lewis said, already tapping away on his U-Watch. "I'll let you the identity of the body when I find it!" He appeared to be a lot more sober and focused than before.

_It's amazing what a skinned and mangled up corpse can do to dampen the effects of an illegal substance._ Martin thought. He growled in frustration and shut off his U-Watch. "Why the hell haven't they delivered those damn autopsy reports? Are the British Headquarters always this slow?"

"Only on weekdays," Lewis joked, fixing his Alpha Goggles tightly into place on the bridge of his nose. "Not really though. I wonder what's keeping them. Hey, I found her!"

He pushed a button and a hologram of the file shot out of his U-Watch. It was slightly blurry in quality but still legible enough for them to discover the identity of the body.

Her name was Julia Dalton. She was twenty eight when she disappeared. She was born and raised in Leeds and studied Political Sciences and Philosophy at Durham University. She was relatively slim and tall with chestnut tinted hair and hazel eyes. She had rosy red lips and a sprinkling of freckles on her cheeks. She seemed to have a delicate countenance in the provided photograph. Around her neck was the same necklace found on the body. Diana's analysis had been sound.

"Wait a minute," Diana said, feeling the corpse's abdomen. She gently pressed down on certain areas before leaning closer and flashing the light over the area. To her surprise, there was black thread sewn deep into the skin. It was sewn straight down the middle and extended up to the chest area.

"This is quite expertly sewn- I've seen this quality of stitching from surgeons at my hospital. Although this thread appears to be the household kind," She told Martin and Lewis. "Does anyone have a scalpel?"

"Not exactly, but you can use my I-Cutter." Martin said, selecting the item from his U-Watch, popping out the red laser blade and handing it carefully to his sister.

"Thanks," Diana said. She knew this blade was capable of cutting through an iron door, so she wasn't sure about how harshly it would react with human flesh. Her mind drifted back to the final scenes from the Phantom Menace. Still, beggars could not be choosers. She made a cautious incision. She peeled back the skin and let out a gasp. She continued to cut up to the area where the clavicles extended. It was just as she thought. She would not need to cut the ribs to access any of the vital organs. They had been cut already-all twenty four had been neatly severed. Many of them were missing as well. What was worse was that many vital organs were missing, sliced precisely from their relative arteries. Some organs were completely missing. Others were expertly cut and left behind, but missing masses of flesh. Most of the lungs and intestines were left behind. She pulled away the cranium. It was as she feared. The brain was missing. She shuddered and stood up.

"So apparently we've got a bunch of ravenous, yet fairly meticulous aliens." She said quietly.

"Well, isn't that fan-flippin'-tastic." Martin groaned as Lewis took out his baggie and a lighter. He quickly grabbed it out of Lewis's hands

"That's enough" He told Lewis angrily. "We need you sober."

Suddenly, Martin's U-Watch began beeping rapidly.

"It's about time." He said, downloading the autopsy reports. Then he displayed the files into holograms for all to see.

"The pathologists made the same discovery that you made, Diana" He explained. "They also found most of the internal organs removed from the bodies as well as the same black thread used to sew the bodies back together."

"So they are the same killers." Diana said.

"Yes." Martin answered. Diana noticed her brother furrowing his eyebrows.

"What's wrong?" Lewis asked.

"Diana, what arteries did you say were cut on this body?"

"The right and left carotid, the jugular, and the trachea were severed." She answered. "Slaughterhouse style."

"Alright, that matches the method of execution in the first body found by the Center- Cassidy Richards."

"What about Keith Anderson?"

"The pathologists have found multiple wounds on the arms and upper torso of the second victim. They've also found a fracture in the skull. It wouldn't have killed him but it would have definitely knocked him out."

"They're defensive wounds." Lewis said. "He probably fought back."

"The agents have also sent a toxicology report. They found a substance laced in both of the victims' bloodstreams."

"Were they able to identify it?"

"That's the strange thing. They were able to identify it very easily for something used by little green men. Substance analysis at the Center usually deals with stuff virtually unknown to man." Martin said. "It is a substance called lorazepam."

"Hang on, that isn't an extraterrestrial drug."

"It's not?" Martin said, looking surprised.

"No, it's not." Diana said. "Lorazepam is a relatively common benzodiazepine drug that is used as either an anesthetic or to treat severe onset panic attacks. It is quite potent and the effects have a pretty long duration. Intravenous lorazepam can be given as late as ten minutes before an operation."

"So what you're saying is that this stuff could have knocked our victims out cold?" Lewis asked.

Diana checked the toxicology report and gasped.

"With the correct dosage, it can definitely do that, Lewis." She said. "What's more is that according to these charts, the amount of lorazepam in Anderson's system when he died would have been enough to knock out a baby elephant. Richards was bled out but drug overdose is Anderson's cause of death."

"You said this stuff is used as an anesthetic," Lewis asked and Diana nodded. "Don't farmers use anesthetics before slaughtering their animals to spare them the pain of death?"

"They could- many countries often enforce it." Diana said.

"Martin, what did you say the weapon was?"

"Which one?"

"I assume that the ribs of the other two victims were sliced off in a similar fashion to the body here," Lewis said, pointing to the cut up upper torso.

Martin scrolled down and continued reading the report.

"The notches made on the remaining bits of bone indicate that it was a knife or a cleaver of some sort rather than a laser. The bones were hacked off in a swift downward motion but it often took multiple swings to completely sever them."

"Could it be an ax?" Diana asked. "Or perhaps a smaller weapon, like a butcher knife."

"It's a shame there aren't any lasers involved." Lewis grumbled. "Low-tech aliens are never any fun."

His comment earned him a glare from the other two agents.

"These are strange aliens alright." Martin said. "Where the hell is the slime and ectoplasm?"

Suddenly, Diana felt her stomach drop. She dropped to her knees like a madwoman and took out the I-Cutter again. She quickly checked the mouth again. The tongue was missing. Willing her hands to stop shaking, she positioned the blade near the top of the head and began cutting into it. Thankfully the blade passed though the bone as if it was butter. Martin and Lewis stared at her, then at each other and then back at her again.

"Sis, what are you doing?" Martin asked slowly, fearing that she had somehow gone crazy. The fact that she conveniently possessed a dangerous weapon with a blade made of lasers that could cut through just about anything didn't appease him in the slightest. Or the fact that most of her body was covered in blood spatters and guts.

"Offal." She said, getting up again and staring at her partners in absolute horror. "I think her internal organs were used as offal! You know-chopped liver, pâté, and steak and kidney pie? Do you know that scene in Little House in the Big Woods where Pa and the rest of them butcher the pig?"

"I don't read about houses in woods." Lewis said.

"I don't read in general." Martin answered. Diana fought back a sigh.

"There are no bite marks on this body. They didn't eat her raw. No, they butchered her with what looks like a regular old butcher knife. Most likely, they harnessed most of her organs to cook. But isn't it strange how they weren't ravenously feeding on her or anything? These creatures were pretty methodical about everything. They even sewed her back up. But why would they waste time doing such a thing? I don't know why any extraterrestrials would do that. We don't do that with our pigs and cows."

"Is it a sign of remorse possibly?" Lewis offered. "Maybe it is part of a ritual of some sort."

"Why would they show remorse?" Diana asked and then paused, turning a pale shade of grey. "Unless…no… it can't be."

"What is it?" Diana shook her head.

"Never mind, Martin. I just had the oddest theory. Forget it, the thought was crazy. I can't believe I'm actually going to say this, but I think we should still be on the look out for extraterrestrial creatures."

Suddenly, they noticed flickering lights in the distance. They watched as the lights got bigger and bigger until they spotted the cause of the lights-or rather headlights. A large rundown truck pulled over and a man dressed in denim and plaid got out. Diana guessed he was in his thirties with a dire need for a diet or some exercise with his morbidly obese appearance. He appeared to be shaking. Sweat formed a glaze over his pale face, glistening in the faded yellow lights of the truck.

"Are any one of you a doctor?!" He sounded hysterical. Diana began to step forward but Martin held her back. She winced slightly when his grip on her wrist grew unbearably tight.

"What's wrong?" Martin asked the interloper. "How can we help you?"

"My mother is having a heart attack!" The man shouted in a heavy accent. "She needs a doctor right now; there isn't any time to waste."

"What about-"

"I've already called for the paramedics but it's been thirty minutes and they haven't shown up. You see, we live in quite a small town far away from any large cities. I was going to drive to the city, but then I saw your tents and car and I thought I would see if any of you can help my mum. Please! She can't die!" He ended with a wail.

"It's okay, I'm a doctor." Diana said, finally breaking out of her brother's grasp. Rubbing her wrist, she glared angrily at him before continuing. "Why don't you get in your car and we'll follow you back to your town and I'll see what I can do."

"Thank you so much!" The man said, immediately getting in his car to start his engine.

"Are you sure you made the right call there?" Martin turned to her. "This seems awfully suspicious. I don't recall any small town around here."

"Actually, there is one- a very, _very_ small village a few kilometers down this road." Lewis said, checking his U-Watch. "I checked an updated map as well as the Bio-Scan. There seems to be around fifty people located in that village. It is probably what the man is talking about."

"I don't know. I'm still not buying this whole 'mother-is-sick' business." Martin said.

"Please, Martin." Diana said to her brother. "For all we know, the man's mother could actually be in life-threatening danger. A heart attack is something to be taken seriously. We've done this before and we are well equipped. I trust that if something does go awry, we will be prepared and able to fight off whatever gets in our way. As a doctor, I can't pass the opportunity to save someone's life. It's in my Hippocratic oath!"

"I just don't want us to end up like Ms. Dalton, Ms. Richards or Mr. Anderson." Martin said.

Lewis was already in the SUV. He honked the horn a few times. Reluctantly, Martin followed his sister into the car. However, before doing so, he made a quick call to the Center to pick up the body near the road as well as to be on the lookout for suspicious alien activity. When they were settled, Lewis handed both of them cloth wrapped packages. In the bundles were brand new firearms.

"Sig Sauers." Lewis said, starting the engine to follow the speeding man. "Just in case.

_Words: 2,500_

_AN: We are nearing the climax of this story ladies and gentleman. Please fasten your seatbelts and keep all body parts you wish to retain in the vehicle at all times because once this baby hits 88 miles per hour, shit's about to happen! That's right- I made a Back to the Future reference. Michael J. Fox for the win! *Hey Mr. Sandman playing in the background*_

_As usual my internet buddies, feel free to favourite, follow, review or whatever. Any questions can go straight to my PM box and I will make sure to answer them as quickly as possible. _

_Cheers,_

_BOZ1310- July 13__th__, 2013_


	8. Animal Farm

The agents anxiously followed the man's car down the dark and dusty road. He was driving fast enough to be breaking most speed limits in the country, but just slow enough so that their SUV could keep up at a steady pace. The sun was beginning to rise when they neared the small village. The sky bled colours of gold and crimson, only to be softened by the wispy lavender clouds in the distance. The morning sun had the colour that was the exact shade of the yolk of a hard-boiled egg that was cooked for just enough time to firm the whites but leave the center as a gooey and sweet yellow. Robins burst into song as the small animals began scurrying out of their burrows in search of breakfast. When looking far off into the distance, one would have been able to notice the faint silhouettes of a doe and its fawn, mid-stride on their daily stroll through the grassy fields. The landscape could only have been described as magical- too magnificent to be real. It was proof that there were environments that had not known the touch of man. In all of its splendor and purity, it was decided unanimously that it could not have been conceived by any mortal, not even by the greatest artist. Unfortunately, the three agents did not have the luxury of time to sightsee and when they pulled up into a dirt driveway, they immediately rushed out of the car and prepared for the situation ahead of them.

"Where is she?" Diana asked and the man pointed to the house.

"I left her in the den," He said. "It's the first room to your left."

Diana and the others marched straight into the den where they found an unconscious woman of the couch and a younger woman next to her. The room held the stench of vomit and human waste.

"How long has she been unconscious?" Diana asked the woman at her side.

"It's only been a few minutes." She said-her voice surprisingly steady. Diana figured it was the shock that paralyzed her.

"Has she complained of chest pains?"

"Yes, it was terrible. She was moaning and crying and clutching her chest. Then, she collapsed." Again, that awfully steady tone came through.

Diana checked the pulse. It was weak, but still recognizable.

"She's had a sudden cardiac arrest," Diana said quickly as she proceeded to begin chest compressions on the elderly woman. "Her heart has failed to contract at a steady rate due to the lack of normal circulation of blood. This was caused by the heart attack."

She continued the chest compressions for a few minutes and then looked up.

"Is anyone else trained to perform CPR?" She asked. Martin nodded and quickly stepped forward. He substituted for his sister to carry on the chest compressions as she got up.

"Where is your kitchen?" She asked. There was a pause for a moment as the homeowners looked at one another. Then the fat man pointed to another room.

"Why?" He asked.

"I need some ice." She explained. "We will try to replicate therapeutic hypothermia. Since we don't have water blankets, anything frozen will do: bags of peas, meat from your freezer. We can wrap them up in cloths and it'll work fine. We just need to lower her body temperature. She will have insufficient blood flow and we can't run the risk of ischemic injuries. You've already called for the paramedics, so all we have to do is keep her heart beating, her blood flowing, and the lungs full of oxygen. Martin, you have to assist her respiration as well."

"What?"

"Mouth-to-mouth," Diana said, stepping into the kitchen. She was about to open the refrigerator door when her hand was harshly knocked back by the hand of a woman. It was the same woman who was kneeling by the elderly lady when they had first entered the den. She did not look so calm anymore. Her face was scrunched up in an expression of anger and nervousness. Diana took a step back and clutched her hand, surprised at what had just happened.

"I can do it. You can go back to the den and help them." She said sharply. Diana gave a quick nod and was about to walk out of the kitchen, when she noticed the widely diverse array of knives hanging from a rack above the stove. She opened her mouth to say something, but the woman turned her head and her glare drove Diana out of the room.

Diana and Martin traded off the position until they heard the sound of a car pulling up to the house. Quickly and calmly, the men in uniforms entered the house with a stretcher. They picked up the woman and placed her on it.

"She's had a sudden cardiac arrest caused by AMI. We've been performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation and lowering her body temperature." She explained to them. "Have your crew begin the defibrillation immediately."

"Rest assured ma'am, we'll do our best." The man said with a smile and they left in the ambulance, disappearing into the distance. Diana let out a deep sigh of relief. She had not realized that she had been sweating. She shivered as the strong winds dried the back of her shirt and left goose bumps all over her arms.

"Thank you so much," The man said with a smile. "My mother might not have survived long enough for the ambulance to come if it weren't for you three. What can I do to repay you?"

"Nothing at all, we're glad to have helped." Lewis said, returning the smile. "If it's alright with you, I think we'll be leaving."

"Nonsense," The man said gruffly; "You must be starving by now. Surely you'll stay for a meal? I'll have my wife prepare some delicious sandwiches for you with the smoked meat from yesterday's dinner. It always tastes better cold on the second day with some chunks of homegrown tomatoes and lettuce between two slices of her famous sourdough bread."

"We really shouldn't," Martin murmured.

"Please, it'll be the best thing you've ever eaten."

The idea did sound appealing to the agents. They realized that they were especially tired and hungry with the course of the day.

"I suppose it will be okay…"

"That's perfect!" The man's eyes glinted. "Why don't you take a seat in the dining room and get some rest. It'll be ready before you know it!"

They looked at one another and then at the man again.

"If it's alright with you, we would really appreciate going to interview some of the town members." Martin said, before discovering how suspicious his comment sounded.

"Has something happened?" The man's fatty eyelids closed into a squint.

"Of course not sir," Lewis said with a laugh and a charming smile. "I'm a student studying anthropology at the University of Durham and these two are my colleagues. I'm especially interested in the group behaviour and social organization of a small town. It is just so much more interesting than the interactions and social dynamics within a city-like environment. I thought that since we were here and waiting for a delicious meal, I might as well conduct a quick field study. By all means, if it reassures you, I will not take any photographs or ask for any names. Like I have said, I am simply interested."

"It's not for me to decide, so I suppose you may do as you please." He said, looking past the elaborate lie. He found that it was difficult to deny the man of his request with the look of genuine interest and honesty on his face. They ushered themselves outside and began their exploration of the town.

The clouds had settled into the sky and made themselves comfortable in front of the sun. They had not noticed it before, what with the commotion hours ago, but the town appeared to have housed a light mist that lingered only within the cracks of the buildings. It shrouded their ankles as they walked down the road. The few people that wandered the streets never took their eyes off the agents, their gazes following them until their necks could no longer twist another inch.

"Look, it's the Shining twins." Martin whispered, nudging his sister in the ribs with his elbow and pointing to his left. Diana frowned at the two little girls- blonde and bowed and in pleated skirts-playing hopscotch with a faded chalk outlining. Their pink dresses and golden ringlets starkly contrasted the washed-out concrete walls that were closely behind them-as well as with their terribly pale skin.

"I have to admit, that is pretty inauspicious." She whispered, fighting to take her eyes off them and finally doing so when one of them stared back. "I've always hated that movie."

"You see, this is why I don't like little girls." Lewis murmured with a shudder. "Well, girls in general…"

"Is something wrong?" The question came from a timid voice behind them. They turned around and found a petite woman pushing a stroller. "I don't think it's very polite to be staring at little girls- and quite strange as well."

"Excuse us ma'am, it's terribly rude of us." Lewis said apologetically.

"Have any of these people come into this town?" Martin asked, taking out a few of the many missing persons reports.

The woman parted her lips, but nothing came out. She pulled the stroller closer to her body and crossed her arms defensively.

"Of course not," She said angrily, which sounded quite peculiar in her soft voice. "We're a township of fifty in the dead heart of the countryside. How many tourists do you think we get? In fact, you've been the few people to actually visit these parts, let alone come into our town."

Then the baby began crying and she hurried past them. But not before giving them each an odd look.

"I hate small towns." Lewis complained as they continued searching for townspeople to interview. "There's just something about the isolation and the bizarre communion that the people seem to share. There's also their shifty attitude towards us- their defensiveness. See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil, I suppose…"

They continued asking around the town, showing the photographs of the missing people. As they expected, no one gave them the answer they had been looking for.

Disappointed, they headed back to the house where the fat man was waiting for them on the porch.

"Your sandwiches," He said, handing the three of them bundles wrapped up in red checkered cloths. "My wife added some butter cookies as well. They're delicious."

"Thanks." Diana said, pocketing her sandwich while her partners began unwrapping theirs and taking big bites out of them.

"This is really great!" Lewis said, chewing rather rudely with his mouth open. "What is it-turkey?"

The man ignored the question.

"I heard from others that you weren't exactly observing our 'social behaviours'," The man used air quotations for the last two words. "What were you doing exactly?"

"News travels fast." Martin muttered into his sandwich.

"Are you lot coppers?"

"Not exactly," Diana said. "But we are looking for missing people. They disappeared a few months ago near the road where you found us and our campsite. We were simply seeing if anyone recognized them or has seen them."

"We don't get a lot of visitors. Everyone knows each other." The man said. "Believe me, if there was to be even _one _stranger in this town, everyone would know about him long before he'd even get the chance to speak to anyone."

"Sorry about lying to you earlier." Lewis said. "We didn't know how you would react."

"It's alright." The man said, shrugging his shoulders. "Everyone has their own skeleton in the closet- some more than others."

_Cryptic…_Diana thought darkly.

"So, what is it that you do exactly, sir?" Martin asked him.

"My neighbours and I run a farm together. It's just a small farm for a small town. Every so often we have a harvest-it's not that usual unfortunately. We often have someone drive down to Durham to purchase supplies we can't grow here." The man said.

"You raise livestock I assume?" Diana inquired. "Since I haven't seen any crops,"

"Yes we do." The man said curtly. "It's not the most successful farm in the world, but we manage as a town. Everyone helps when times get tough."

"That's good." Lewis said, starting on the cookies in his clothed bundle. He had wolfed down the sandwich halfway through the man's explanation. "Where are the barns? I haven't seen the animals at all."

"We'll let them out to graze later on in the day," The man explained. "The barn's to the south side of the town, just past the old church with the bell. It's pretty big, so we decided to build it there. Any town member can access it if they need some meat or milk. Many others grow produce or they can do wonders with a needle and a thread, so we trade for what we want."

"How quaint," Diana said. "So you don't use the currency?"

"We save it for the times when we need to go to the city." The man said. He was beginning to look agitated, constantly fidgeting with his hat or adjusting his braces. "We hardly need to though…"

"Thanks for your help. I think we'll be off now." Martin said with a forced smile.

"I should be thanking you three." The man said, shaking their hands. "Just follow that road over there and it'll lead you straight to your campsite."

He gave them another wave and closed the door.

"We ought to give the barn area a look-see." Martin said, jumping off the ledge. "Something about this town seems off."

Diana and Lewis agreed, so they set off to find the barn. Like the man had told them, it was found just pass the southern borders of the town. It was a mix of a brown and a faded red. It was obvious that someone had tried to repaint it, but gave up shortly after realizing the unfeasibility behind the project. Despite the weathered appearance, there were no openings at all. It was locked shut and all four walls were secured. There was a cellar behind the barn that was equally as sturdy.

"Something definitely isn't right." Diana said, putting her ear to the door. She couldn't hear anything for a while and then she heard a faint mewling sound. It was a crying sound. "You had better get out your I-Cutters- I think we should check it out."

Martin nodded, but Lewis was busying picking at his teeth.

"Is something wrong?" Diana asked him, but Lewis ignored her question. Instead he kept on picking at the gap between his far upper right molars. They stared at him in horror as he pulled out a long strand of hair. It was a long strand of red hair.

"Uh… Lewis," Diana began. Martin said nothing, but he quickly threw his leftover sandwich on the ground. "Was that in the sandwich?"

"It was stuck in my teeth. It was really bothering me, I thought it was a piece of lettuce or something. None of them had red hair… turkeys don't have red hair." Lewis's voice drifted off. He looked incredulous. He stared at the other agents with widened eyes. "Why would there be red hair in the turkey? Why would the sandwich have- Oh my god"

Lewis turned a light shade of green and he vomited loudly on the grass. He continued to retch loudly and violently as Diana rushed forward to help him.

"You're quite right lad," A menacing voice said. Diana screamed as a dark figure swung a bat at her brother's head, knocking him out cold. "They don't have red hair."

She barely had time to react, much less fight back, as the figure approached her. She heard the swift 'swishing' sound that the bat made as it broke the sound barrier and headed straight for her head. She saw an intense light and then nothing more.

_Words: 3,000+_

_AN: Le Gasp! Okay, so now we're finally getting somewhere. I should be posting up the next chapter shortly after this because I've gotten most of it planned out. __Mind you, the next chapter might be a little graphic.__ Nothing sexual, but a little bit gory. I can handle gore pretty well, so I am fairly apathetic when it comes to how much is too much. I don't know if I should make this story "M" rated because it will only be that chapter. To people who constantly read this story, know that if it somehow disappears from the regular display, I might have changed the rating to "M". __**Please **__**let me know**__** if you would want that because I am not sure myself.**__**I will not post the next chapter until I have made that decision, so bear with me.**__ Also, if you do not feel comfortable reading gore and horror, let me know (PM me) and I will post a dampened-down version as a separate story so that you can continue reading the rest of the story. It will only be that chapter, so if I were to post the kid-friendly version, it would only be that chapter. The rest would be in the regular file. _

_ Other than that my internet buddies, feel free to favourite, follow, review or whatever. Any questions can go straight to my PM box and I will make sure to answer them as quickly as possible. I would love some reviews and feedback to see how I am doing. I know that this is a small fandom so I can't expect much, but you never know! I am thinking of doing a 'sequel' where I write another story featuring these three. Let me know if you would want that so I can plan that out! _

_ Also (PPS), same-sex marriages became legal in England and Wales! Woot Woot! I am really happy with the decision made by the governments of these nations. I know that it was the right choice and I am looking forward to supporting the many other people that will be continuing to fight for freedom and justice in their own countries! As a citizen of Canada and an anglophile, I say to my British homies- Welcome aboard the S.S. Equality! (Insert foghorn here)_

_Cheers,_

_BOZ1310- July 17__th__, 2013_


	9. Who wants to live forever?

_AN: Warning… some graphic content as well as coarse language. Reader discretion is advised. _

Diana awoke to the sound of screams and Freddie Mercury.

_Who wants to live forever?_

_ Who wants to live forever?_

_ Who dares to love forever?_

_ When love must die…_

She was lying on a damp concrete floor with her clothes drenched in what she hoped was water. She discovered that her eyes were still closed and when she tried opening them, she flinched violently at the unbearably bright light that seemed to only blind her once more. By the time she managed to sit up, the song had changed into a song by David Bowie.

_Time may change me,_

_ But I can't trace time…_

She quickly became aware of her surroundings. She was caged with nothing but a blanket and a tin bucket that she moved to the corner of the room as quickly as she could. She ached all over, but her head hurt the most. She touched the swelling bump on the side of her head and stifled a scream when her hand came away shiny with blood. Thankfully, they had not fractured her skull like they had done to the previous victim and the pain had been tolerable enough for her to think. Around her were many other women curled up in their separate cages. They were painfully obese and unclean, wallowing in their own waste. They were also very pale. It was most likely caused by their lack of exposure to sunlight. Diana realized that they might also have anemia having had developed iron deficiencies during their imprisonment. From their wet-sounding coughs and wheezing, she deduced that many suffered from bronchitis due to the constant cool and damp atmosphere they were forced to situate in. Her thoughts were interrupted when the woman next to her hacked out a large glob of phlegm that went flying in the air, barely missing her hand. She shifted over, trying not to show disgust on her face. Many of the women were also pregnant. She noticed their swollen breasts, the darkening of the nipples and areolas. Their veins were protruding from their skin like the thinnest of thorns, burying themselves into their muscles and then crawling their way across the mountains of skin. Although they were all quite obese, it was obvious that quite a few of them were in their third trimester. She shuddered at the thought of who the fathers were and wondered what the purpose was for having so many babies.

Suddenly the lights went out.

"I'm lonely… wanna die…"

The voice sang loudly and a fist began hitting the metal bars of the cage.

_ BANG! BANG! BANG!_

"Girl, you know the reason why…"

Each time, the slamming of the bars sent vibrations coursing throughout the entire structure. From every direction, the sound rang loudly in her ears. She clutched her head and moaned. The noise did nothing to improve the condition of her headache. Then the singing and the pounding stopped. The cage door opened and a hand shot out from the darkness, grabbing a clump of her hair. It was the hair growing on the bump caused by the earlier trauma and the hand was pulling and pulling. Diana swore loudly and swung at the hand with her own fists, attempting to loosen its grip. Much to her dismay, the hand kept its clutch and gave one last tug. She felt an intense, searing pain in the head. It was as if someone had taken a white hot fire iron and twisted it slowly into her temple. It was excruciating and she collapsed on the ground, clutching her head weakly as tears streamed uncontrollably down her cheeks. She could feel a panic attack arising from the pit of her stomach and she fought the urge to vomit as she watched in horror as the hand disappeared into the darkness with locks of her brown hair.

Two men entered the cage and grabbed her by her arms. She was too weak to resist and dumbly moved her feet to avoid being dragged. She could barely think with the pounding in her ears and her pulsing veins. They led her down a dark corridor. She passed out again much to the annoyance of her captors.

When she regained consciousness, she found herself in another room filled with damp and foul-smelling straw. With a whimper, she lowered her head and threw up weakly. Her retching ceased with a kick to her kidney from her captor. She wiped her mouth and glared angrily at him.

"What the hell do you want?" She asked and grunted quietly when he abruptly slapped her across her face. She felt her bottom lip split and one of her molars dislodge slightly from her gums. She wiped the blood with the back of her hand and fell silent.

"Watch your mouth, you bitch." The man said, giving her another kick in the kidney.

"Why am I here?" She asked, more politely than the first time around.

He handed her a knife. It was a fairly small blade and she could tell it was very sharp. She gripped the handle tightly and glared at him menacingly. He gave a loud bark. The barking grew louder and louder until the grating sound filled the room. It took her some time to realize that he was laughing. It reminded her of the growls that one fierce Doberman would make whenever she passed by its kennel as a child. It was terrifying. As she attempted to get up, the man drew a semi-automatic on her. He pointed it straight at her forehead, released the safety and popped back the hammer. The muzzle was cool against her skin and awakened her senses that were dampened by the otherwise stifling atmosphere. She tried to calm herself down and knelt again, breaking into a cold sweat. The man wouldn't kill her just yet. After all, there was a reason why she was brought to this room and handed a knife.

"You're a doctor right?"

"Yes, I am." She said, her voice trembling slightly.

"It seems we could require your assistance in a serious matter of sorts."

"What do you want me to do?"

Her question was cut off by the opening and slamming of the door. She saw one of the men bringing in another woman. No, she wasn't a woman, she was just a girl. She seemed to be barely out of her teens but it was difficult to tell, given her abused and damaged body. Her face was covered in sweat. Her blonde hair was a raggedy and oily grey- the colour of cement. Most likely, her hair was coated in soot and clay since most of her body was. It was clear that she was struggling to breathe, gasping like a fish out of water. They ignored the sounds and dropped her harshly on to the straw. She was very pregnant and clutched at her abdomen with her eyes clenched up in pain. The man waved the gun in her direction and Diana understood the message. She crawled up to the girl and willed her expression to be as calm and serene as possible.

"What's the matter sweetie?" She asked and smiled gently at the girl.

"It hurts so much!" She screamed again. "The baby won't come out!"

Diana quickly examined her body.

"Have you had any labour contractions?" She asked the girl and the girl nodded.

"But they've gone away. It just really hurts instead."

Diana turned to the men watching her from behind. They were leaning against the wall, talking to each other, nonchalant as if this was something they had grown used to seeing.

"How long has she been like this?" They stared at her, startled by her outburst.

"More than a few hours," One of the men responded. "We've seen this kind of stuff happen before. You know what to do! Just cut her up and be done with it!"

The girl paled at his words. Diana glared at the man and braced herself for the mass hysteria that the man had induced, but it didn't come. She appeared to have been temporarily stunned by the words. She stared at Diana with fright in her eyes, gripping her arms tightly.

"Alright sweetie, I've examined you and your cervix is not dilating at the expected rate." Diana blurted out.

"What?"

"You seem to be suffering from dystocia- that's also known as a prolonged and difficult labour. I think it was caused by cephalopelvic disproportion due to your narrow pelvic structure. It is nothing to be worried about, it is quite common."

It was a slight lie, but Diana knew that the girl didn't need to be frightened any more than she already was. The girl stared at her with a blank expression.

"What are you trying to say?" The girl frowned and winced in pain. "What do you have to do to get the baby out of me?"

Diana steadied herself and the girl. She had hidden the knife away from the girl's sight. She had hoped there could be another way of delivering the baby, but deep down inside, she knew the operation was inevitable. She took a deep breath and looked deep into her eyes. The fear in the girl's eyes matched her own.

"I'm going to perform a Caesarean Section in order to deliver the baby." Diana announced. "Do you know what that is?"

The girl nodded and looked away.

"Have you done one before?" She asked.

"Of course," Diana lied through her teeth. She had barely assisted in one either. She knew better than to lie another time, but she couldn't tell the girl that she hadn't performed such an operation.

"Will it hurt very much?" The girl asked. Diana could tell that she knew the answer to her own question already. After all, the answer was pretty obvious. It didn't take a rocket scientist to guess how excruciatingly painful it would be for someone to have their abdomen and uterus cut open with a pen knife in order to have a seven pound squirming mass of flesh retrieved from within them. Rather, it was one of those questions that were asked by someone in an effort to relieve their practically tangible anxiety. Diana stared at her, unable to answer. She couldn't lie again.

The girl spared Diana the worry of telling her the truth by giving a breathy chuckle. She licked her cracked and bleeding lips and looked as intently as she could at the ceiling.

"Ask a stupid question…" she mumbled miserably. "Get a stupid answer."

Diana shrugged, trying to give her a reassuring smile, but failing. Then the girl moaned again and gasped furiously for air.

"Please, you have to get her out of me." She said breathlessly.

"Her?" Diana inquired, slightly amused at the girl's confident use of the female possessive adjective.

"I know it's going to be a girl." The girl explained quietly. "Have you been with child before?"

"No, I haven't." Diana said. "I hope to have that experience… someday."

"I can feel it," The girl continued. "I can't really explain it logically. I don't assume anyone can. I just know these things. It's a mother's intuition, I suppose."

Diana took off her coat. She used the knife to cut off a small length of cloth. She folded it twice over and placed it gently into the girl's mouth.

"I'm going to try to be as quick and precise as possible. You have my word. But you have to promise me that you will try not to make any kind of movement." She told her. "I know it will be extremely difficult, but you have to try. Otherwise, it will be even more difficult for the both of us."

The girl closed her eyes tightly and nodded. The cloth was growing steadily damper by the second, absorbing her saliva.

Diana gritted her teeth.

_Don't be a baby, Diana _she told herself. _You are going to successfully perform this C-Section and help this woman birth her baby if it is the last thing you ever do. _

_It might just be the last thing you ever do…_Another voice in her head told her pessimistically. Brushing away the latter thought, she placed the blade against the girl's pelvic cavity. The girl shuddered at the coolness of the blade. Diana stroked her arm comfortingly.

"Remember what I said, you need to work with me."

Diana remembered she had read something about Caesarian Sections when she was an intern. She stilled her hand and applied pressure, making a small transverse cut just below her hip into her lower uterine area. A thicker and yellow layer of tissue greeted her. Ignoring the muffled screams coming from the girl, she peeled back the upper layer of skin and sliced through the subcutaneous tissue and into the uterus. The girl whimpered with every cut, but she did not flail as she did before. Diana reached into her uterus and as gently as she could, pulled out the baby. The girl let out a scream so loud that it rendered the placement of the cloth useless. Diana's hands and arms were drenched in blood and other bodily matter as she struggled to hold the baby. The small creature was howling and writhing and had the appearance of a bloodied and enlarged raisin. She was correct. The baby was a girl and a large one at that.

The mother had become delirious with pain and exhaustion. As a result, she settled into an unsteady unconsciousness when Diana clipped off the umbilical cord. She wrapped the baby in the remnants of her coat and placed her gently on the floor, covered in straw. She reached inside of the girl again and pulled out the squishy and slippery placenta, which quivered slightly like a circular mass of chocolate pudding when it was placed on the ground.

With the needle and thread she was handed earlier by the men, she meticulously moved the needle back and forth, back and forth, until the flaps of her skin were sewn back together again. Diana used the straw to rub the blood off her hands. The blood on her upper arms had encrusted itself on her skin, making it difficult to clean without water.

"I can't believe I just did that," She whispered to the unconscious girl, feeling the adrenaline coursing through her veins. "It went well. I think you're going to be okay. You're a mother now."

As she said those words, the baby began mewling. It wasn't exactly a cry, but more of a combination of a whimper and a gasp. Diana picked her up and cradled the child, lulling it into a restless sleep. The girl had stirred at the sound of her baby's cries. Her eyes opened slowly and she gave a small smile.

"You have a daughter." Diana spoke softly, placing the baby in her mother's arms. The baby began to cry again, still traumatized by the painful expulsion from her mother's womb. Noticing how weak the girl was, Diana helped her to unbutton her shirt and the baby began sucking hungrily almost immediately.

As the girl was nursing her child, Diana realized that she was, in fact, very tired. She just wanted to curl up on the ground, sleep, and wake up to find her current situation to be a nightmare she had in the warm comfort of her own bed. But she knew she had to look lively. She needed to find a way to escape and reunite with Martin and Lewis. Without thinking, she pocketed the small blade, as well as the needle and remaining thread. She hadn't planned a getaway, but she understood that there was a great chance those items would come in handy.

"Thank you," The girl croaked-her voice very hoarse. With Diana's help, she propped herself against the wall so that she was in a sitting position. She leaned forward and kissed Diana on the forehead. Diana smiled at the girl.

"You're very brave." She said. "You're the bravest person I know."

The girl smiled, her blue eyes sparkling for once. She caressed her child lovingly, her expression was dreamingly blissful. She laughed when the baby's hand grabbed her finger, latching on tightly and refusing to let go. She crooned when the baby's large and grey eyes met her own, establishing the mother-child bond almost instantly. Her laughter sounded like the peal of wind chimes, blown together softly by a spring breeze. The last traces of her innocence left with the twinkling sound of laughter.

The girl touched her baby's hair. It was both fine and fair, reminding her of the fresh corn silk her mother had used to brew a special kind of tea when she was a child herself.

"She's so beautiful, so lovely. I'll dress her in the prettiest of satin gowns and tie her hair in colourful ribbons. She'll have little leather shoes for her little feet. How tiny her feet are- smaller than the palm of my hand! And so are her hands! Her fingernails are the size of rice grains! Look how little she is! I don't think I've ever seen anyone as small as she is."

The girl sighed, a tear escaping her eye and slowly trickling down the side of her face until it dripped and merged into the concrete floor. Her baby had fallen asleep again.

"But she'll grow up." She concluded, contently. "And when she does, my daughter will be the most beautiful woman in the whole world."

All of a sudden, Diana had the urge to break down and weep for the girl and the sorrowful course of events she had been unfairly handed. Somehow, it was at that moment she realized the girl was going to die that day. It did not matter how well she performed the surgery. She was going to die. She was destined to die at their hands and there was nothing that Diana could do about it. Try as she might, she could not stop fate from running its course. The girl turned to her, as if sensing her discouraging thoughts. She touched Diana's hand consolingly while bringing her child closer to her chest.

"It's not your fault, so don't grieve anymore." She said to Diana and perhaps to herself as well. "I don't want my daughter living here in the same way I lived here, being forced into the same situations as I was forced into. I don't want her to have to suffer in the same way I did. I wouldn't be able to bear it if I had to watch her become like me. No, that can't happen. I don't want to live like this anymore."

The girl's eyes widened when she heard footsteps echoing down the corridor. They were quick-paced and daunting. Nonetheless, she handed the baby to Diana and continued her speech.

"Please… get my daughter out of here. Make sure she never hears about me, make sure she forgets all about this life, no matter what happens."

Diana nodded. The baby began whimpering again, sensing that she was separated from her mother. The girl shushed it tenderly, stroking her cheek soothingly until she fell asleep.

The door slammed open and men stormed into the room. One of them wrenched the baby from Diana and marched away immediately, ignoring the girl's pleas and the baby's loud cries. The rest of the men carried the girl away. She was struggling against them, her wound reopening with her strenuous resistance. Diana looked away as she was removed from the room. The crying and screaming of both mother and child echoed loudly throughout the space, the volume refusing to diminish. She closed her eyes and refused to open them until the screams had stopped.

And all of a sudden, they did.

Diana stared at the ground, and tried to ignore the disfigured placenta that was smeared all over the stony ground. One of the men had stepped on it in the struggle, breaking it apart and dirtying the grounds with the last reminder of childbirth. The umbilical cord was kicked into one of the corners of the room, torn apart by boots that refused to cease their abuse. It was in the corner closest to the door. The door… that remained open with all the excitement.

Diana gnashed her teeth together. She had a promise to keep. With her knife in hand, she snuck out of the room. Thankfully, there was no one in sight. She crept down the hallway, turned a corner and found a staircase leading up to the outside world. She could see the night sky alit with starlight. There were no electrical sources of light distracting the eye from the natural beauty. She deduced that she was being kept in the cellar that was behind the large barn and knew there would be people on patrol. Hence, ultimate stealth was mandatory. She looked around and breathed a sigh of relief when she saw no moving shadows or figures in the dark. She heard no footsteps either. She would return for the baby. She had to…for the girl. But her top priority was to find her partners. She needed to know if they were alright. She didn't know what she would do if Martin…

She hastily ran up the stairs, trying to make her footsteps as light as possible. She was on the second last stair when suddenly she felt a hand grabbing her by the ankle, and dragging her down into the cellar again. Caught off guard, she went tumbling down the staircase and rolled stiffly onto the floor. She suppressed a scream as she felt hands at her throat.

"Trying to escape eh?" A deep voice said, his hands blocking her airway. She grabbed at his arms, fighting like a wild animal trapped by its predator. It was terribly painful and black spots were starting to float around her vision, staining her sight. "I wouldn't try it, you fucking bitch."

She realized it was the same man who was singing British rock music as he had torn out strands of her hair when she was trapped in the cage. The one who held her at gunpoint- the same one who snatched the baby from her arms… and now he was on her trying to smother her.

"You are all the same… ever so riley," The man grinned, his spit dribbling down his chin and landed on her face. His eyes dilated and he gave a bark of laughter. She froze in fear when one of his hands darted up her shirt and under her bra. Then the hand move slowly downwards. "Well, we'll have to do something about that, now won't we?"

Unbeknownst to her attacker, Diana quickly slid the knife out from her sleeve and flipped the blade. With all of her remaining strength, she stuck the point of the blade up between the man's legs and straight into one of his testicles, twisting it as hard as she could. The man let out a blood-curdling scream and broke his hold at her neck. Diana angrily twisted the blade out and swept it across, cleanly severing the man's reproductive organs. The man dropped to the ground, clutching himself and writhing in agony. She got up and searched the man, stopping when she found the firearm that Lewis had lent her. She wanted nothing more than to pop a few slugs into his skull, but she was aware at the attention the noise would attract. So she bent down and held the blade up to the man's neck, nicking it slightly with the point that had proven its sharpness on many accounts that evening.

"Look at me, you fucking son of a bitch. I'm a doctor, remember?" She whispered harshly at the man, looking straight into his eyes. "I know of all the nerves and pain receptors in your body. It was some of the only stuff I studied in school for ten fucking years, so I consider myself to be quite the professional. I know of techniques and areas in your measly little body where I need only apply the faintest pressure with my bare hands for you to be in an unbelievable amount of utter pain. Best of all, I know some great ways to revive you so that you can experience that hurt all over again like fucking Prometheus."

The man continued moaning so Diana continued talking.

"You'd be surprised at the amount of organs that can be taken out of you that can still keep your heart pumping. Well at least enough to keep you alive. It doesn't just stop at kidneys and you'd better believe it. Try to touch me again- try to touch any woman again and I will personally bring that pain onto you. _Comprenez-vous?_"

She finished by furiously impaling the man's feet with her knife, ignoring his cries of anguish. Surprised at what she had done, she hurriedly rushed up the stairs in search of her brother and her fellow agent before her adrenaline rush faded. Before she did any searching however, she checked the magazine of her gun and locked the cellar door. After that, she found a large stick and stuck it between the handles of the door. She quietly slipped into the barn. She had never used a gun before but she knew it would be a great time to learn.

It was pitch black when Martin regained consciousness. Although he was terribly groggy at first, he felt his heart begin to race-getting gradually faster and faster when he realized he couldn't see anything. The back of his head, just above the nape of neck, throbbed wildly. In the stillness of his surroundings, he could feel his nerves sending quick fire impulses to his brain, producing cataclysmic waves of pain with every jolt. He figured with the headache and growing nausea, he was suffering the aftereffects of a concussion.

_It's probably due to that big-ass baseball bat the guy slammed you in the cranium with._ He bemusedly told himself.

He tried wiggling, but his limbs would not budge from their current position. Each arm was wrenched behind his back and tightly bound to the other while his feet were flat on the ground, tied to the legs of the chair. It was a strong hemp rope, whose scratchy fibres chafed his skin and cut off his circulation. The rope was also secured around his torso, trapping him in the chair.

He heard a quiet moaning from behind. It was Lewis's voice. It seemed that he had just woken up as well. Then, Martin felt something bump into the back of his head. He hissed at the sudden burst of pain that coursed through his whole body. Who was it? Could it be Lewis? He heard the moan again. It was louder this time and the voice was recognizable. It was indeed Lewis.

Martin had been on enough cases and had seen enough action movies to know that they had been tied back to back, bounded by the same rope.

"Lewis, is that you?" He whispered, "Can you hear me?"

"Is that you Martin?" The hushed voice asked slowly. The voice had intonated the words in a strange fashion, resembling a somewhat drunken stupor. Martin reflexively nodded, forgetting it was dark and that they were facing opposite directions.

"Are you okay?" He asked. "How's your head?"

"It hurts like a bitch, but I think I'll live." Lewis said. "Do you know where Diana is?"

"No, I don't think she's in the same room as us." Martin said. "I think they took her elsewhere. If she were here, I'd usually hear her complaining by now."

"We need to get out of here and find her."

Martin agreed wholeheartedly. His sister had disappeared. Or rather, she had been kidnapped by those scumbags. His thoughts began verging on paranoia. He thought about all the situations she could have been in, all the things they could be doing to her. He was more than positive that his sister was a strong woman who could defend herself against attackers. He did not doubt her ability to effectively fight back. That being said, she would be facing five or six abnormally burly farmers. He knew that if she was in the same state as he was in, she wouldn't be able to stand a chance against them.

He banished these thoughts immediately. There was no point in conjuring up 'what-if' circumstances if he was still tied up. He prodded Lewis in the back with his shoulder.

"You don't have your gun on you, do you?"

"I don't think so." Lewis said. "I think they would be smart enough to frisk us first before tying us up."

"Do you still have your U-Watch then?" He asked. He felt Lewis shrug.

"Perhaps- I can't feel it though." He said. "Then again, with all this rope fastened around my wrists, I can't really feel anything in the first place."

Martin fumbled wildly with his fingertips, stretching as far as the ropes would let him until he felt the smooth and soft texture of skin. He trailed his fingers around what he believed were his wrists. He strained for a moment and then he felt the texture change into a leathery consistency. He couldn't suppress the grin when his fingers grazed over the coolness of metal.

"Those bastards didn't confiscate your U-Watch. We've got our way out." He announced excitingly. "Move your hands closer to mine and I'll select the I-Cutter."

"You know, in any other situation, all this rope and chair business and finger groping would be really kinky." Lewis murmured. "This could be some hardcore bondage if I do say so myself."

Martin rolled his eyes and huffed loudly. Lewis chose to ignore the blatant expulsion of air.

"If you're into that kind of stuff, I know a guy who can set up some great-"

"I'm going to stop you there."

"I could make it work…"

"I am going to pretend this conversation never happened."

"Fine by me," Lewis said nonchalantly.

Martin turned down the volume of the U-Watch before attempting to select any equipment from it. He didn't want to attract any unnecessary attention from their captors whenever he made an error.

"U-Watch activated. Legendex selected." The pre-recorded feminine voice proclaimed. Although, he had tried to set it to the lowest volume, it was still obnoxiously noticeable in the otherwise silent room. Martin quickly cancelled the selection and tried again.

"U-Watch activated. Alpha Goggles selected." The overly-cheerful voice said. Martin swore under his breath and cancelled the selection. Suddenly, he stopped and tilted his head to the right where he could hear the faint din of laughter and exchanging of words. He felt his stomach churn with uneasiness.

"Not to rush you there, Jason Bourne, but you might want to hurry up." Lewis said. "My psychopathic cannibal detectors are tingling again. They'll be here any minute."

"U-Watch activated, I-Cutter selected."

Martin gave a sigh of relief. He adjusted the blade and cut through the rope that bound his hands and feet. He sliced off the remaining rope. Free at last, he repeated the procedure for Lewis, who leapt out of his chair the moment he could move his limbs.

"Third time's the charm." Lewis muttered to himself, massaging his smarting arms. "Who doesn't love the sting of rope burn in the morning?"

Ignoring the comment, Martin slipped on a pair of Alpha Goggles and began exploring the shadowy containment room. Anyone who hadn't done some previous snooping would have reasoned that it was a warehouse. However, he knew that it was the barn on the south side of the town. It was larger than he thought it would be. It was relatively empty as well. Apart from the two wooden chairs in the middle of the room that had held them captive until just recently, there was a large crate pushed up against the wall to his left and a curtain in the opposite corner.

He went up to the crate and opened it. It was actually an icebox containing various pieces of raw flesh. Most of the masses of flesh were organs. Martin could identify a liver, a few kidneys, and to his horror, a heart. As far as he could discern, they once belonged to a human. Feeling queasy, he adjusted the cover of the container so that it was safely sealed. He was considerate in placing it in the exact same fashion that he had found it in. He knew that none would be the wiser.

"Martin?" Lewis whispered. "You might want to check this out."

His voice came from the other side of the room, behind the curtained area that he had found. Martin figured that Lewis decided to do some exploring of his own. He darted over to the drapery and peered behind it. He felt his eyes widen and jaw drop at the sight before him.

Behind the curtain, there was a rack suspended between the walls. Hanging from the bracket were several meat hooks. Hanging from those meat hooks were bodies. The three of them were dangling from the hooks by their mouth and cheeks much like a fish caught fresh out of the water. Except that these bodies were anything but fresh. With a strange mold like substance emerging from sores and open wounds, they were the main attraction for blowflies and maggots.

Their backs were to the agents and when Martin turned one around, he discovered that their upper bodies had been hacked open and their organs missing. The markings on the bodies including the strange tattoo matched the ones on the body of Cassidy Richards and the other identified victims. Martin had a sick feeling that the missing persons had finally been discovered. Unfortunately, it was not in the manner he had hoped for. One was a woman and the other two were men. All of them had horrified expressions on their faces, their eyes forever agape in terror and their mouths forced open by the merciless meat hooks.

The agents stepped back to evaluate the somber situation. Martin closed his eyes for a moment and took a deep breath. He willed his emotions away into the hidden crevices of his mind. Once expelling the pain and gloomy thoughts, he concentrated on creating a solution for the mission.

"C'mon, let's go." Lewis said. Martin nodded, giving a quick nod to the bodies in respect.

But as they turned to leave, they heard a clicking sound. It was subtle noise but very intimidating all the same. Martin looked up to find himself face to face with the muzzle of a rifle.

His eyes traced over the snout and then he extended his vision to the butt of the gun where it was held by grubby, paw-like hands. A pair of beady eyes met his own, sparkling coldly with an unrecognizable level of indifference. These eyes were not the eyes of just any killer. Martin was sure that most killers would have displayed the slight amount of emotion, whether that be terror or anger, when committing the heinous deed. These eyes belonged to a skilled and ruthless hunter. Much like the owner of a slaughterhouse, the individual handling the gun did not show any emotion to his victims because it was all business for him. Martin finally understood that the townspeople believed that they did not simply slaughter for enjoyment, but also as a necessity for survival. It was part of their culture. Moreover, it was traditional and in their eyes, nothing could alter tradition.

"Thinking of leaving eh?" The man snarled at them, lowering the gun to meet with Martin's chest. "You think that you could get away that easily?"

"Sir, we are both highly trained in physical combat. Drop your rifle right now. We don't want any trouble." Martin said, pointing the I- Cutter at him.

The man laughed loudly.

"You're a big boy aren't you?" He taunted. "You've got all your fancy gadgets and karate chops."

"Sir, drop the weapon right now!"

"We'll see how powerful you are with your head blown to bits."

Before Martin had a chance to react, the man pulled the trigger. Martin involuntarily flinched and closed his eyes. Luckily, Lewis had been ready for some time. Lunging himself forward, he tackled the man with full-force at the moment he positioned himself to shoot.

As they fell to the ground, they heard the ear-splitting crack of the firearm going off. Martin gasped loudly, his hand moving to grip his torso. Time seemed to stop, accelerating to speeds unknown, then losing control and spinning wildly until it came to a screeching halt. Lewis watched in absolute horror as Martin fell to the ground, clutching his side with a look of hurt on his face. His eyes remained shut. His lips were tightly clamped together to prevent groans from escaping his mouth. Then he stopped moving altogether.

Time seemed to restart itself as Lewis felt a hot bubbling pit of anger rising to the surface. Pinning the man down with his legs, Lewis grabbed the rifle out of his hands and slammed the blunt end of the gun straight into the side of the man's head, knocking him out cold. He got up and rushed over to Martin.

"Are you alright?" Lewis asked, slapping Martin a couple of times in the face to get his attention. "Can you hear me? Wake up!"

Martin opened his eyes and blinked a few times. The pain from the gunshot wound in his side was easily being overshadowed by the pain caused by the tremendously powerful slaps his cheeks were enduring.

"Ow! Stop hitting me!" Martin growled, knocking his hand away. "I'm fine."

"You're ALIVE!" Lewis shouted, the slaps finally ceasing as he raised his arms in exaltation.

"It barely grazed me. That's all." He said. "It's just a superficial wound. I'll be okay."

"Gee, I thought for a moment that he killed you." Lewis said softly, his voice trembling. "I wouldn't have liked that."

"That makes the two of us." Martin admitted with a smirk. "Now, help me up. Let's leave before more of them come."

Once Martin had steadied himself, Lewis grabbed the rifle and the two agents snuck out of the barn and into the outdoors. It was the evening time when they managed to escape. The sun was setting, the rolling hills and shadowy woods swallowing all rays of light, erasing the familiar reds and oranges they had enjoyed in the morning.

Armed with an I-Cutter and a century-old Brown Bess, they tip-toed as quickly as they could, down the side of the open road, camouflaging themselves in the darkness. Most of the houses were completely dark as well as the convenience store in the heart of the town. Martin noticed one house in the far distance with the lights on. Martin adjusted the display on the Goggles, zooming in to get a better look. The lights were ominously dim, appearing to be produced by a kerosene lamp or an old-fashioned lantern as opposed to an electrical source. However, the lamp must have been brought close to the curtains because the illumination was strong enough to cast shadows of objects that stood in front of it onto the cloth-including the silhouettes of two identical person-like figures. The figures stood side by side, motionless and pressed themselves against the window. Martin felt a line of cool sweat trickle down his neck when the shadows shifted their places as if to watch them as they moved farther and farther away. Martin also recognized the figures.

"Lewis, the Shining girls have spotted us." He whispered to his partner, nudging to the house. Lewis nonchalantly looked over for a brief moment before turning his attention elsewhere.

"I think I just lost all my paternal instincts." Lewis murmured. "As well as the ability to ever sit through the Omen without shitting my pants…"

"Where could Diana possibly be?" Martin asked. "Where could they have taken her?"

"Remember that boarded-up cellar behind the barn?" Lewis explained. "They have probably kept her underground with all the other living victims. We need to call for back-up now. The guy has most likely woken up by now and contacted his buddies. I don't think we can take on a group of fifty with a gun and a knife alone. We need other agents to come."

Martin nodded as they approached the Center SUV parked near the town entrance. Much to their dismay, all four wheels had been punctured and all the air let out of them. They weren't going anywhere.

"Let's go inside anyway," Lewis said. "These things can deflect missiles and are coated with countless layers of fire retardant paint. I'm sure they're definitely pitchfork proof as well. Then, we'll call the Center and have it send some agents over."

Martin shook his head.

"That's a one man job," He told Lewis. "You do that, and also get some equipment from the back seats. I need to find Diana. We can't do anything until I know she's safe."

"Martin, we don't need you endangering your life as well." Lewis sighed. "I know you care very much for your sister, but you would be risking your own life as well as hers."

"I have to take that risk." Martin said seriously. "I was the one who offered this case and practically begged her to come on this mission with me. She would be in the hospital working late hours with old ladies complaining of back pain if it weren't for me. It'll be my fault if she gets hurt. It'll be my fault if she d-"

"Diana is strong." Lewis cut him off, unable to let him finish the sentence. "She knows the car is here waiting for her. She will come. You're being an idiot if you decide to leave."

But Martin had already begun turning around to walk in the same direction from whence they came.

"Knowing she's out there with dozens of crazy people-eaters is driving me crazy. I have to find her." He said. "Call the Center immediately. Tell them it's a Code Red and to get their butts over here as soon as possible."

"Be safe." Lewis said, throwing the rifle at him which Martin expertly caught. "Don't be afraid to use this if you need to. Watch the recoil on it as well. Old guns can be pretty dangerous if you're not used to them."

Martin started down the road after Lewis safety entered the car. He made his way back to the barn, noticing that all lights were turned off, including the lamps belonging to the devil twins. Without any lampposts, it was horribly black. He couldn't see anything, even with his Alpha Goggles set to the highest display and lighting. It was also completely silent. The only sounds he could hear were the soft pats his feet made when they treaded on the hard dirt road. That sound…and the thud of a rock skidding across the grass.

Then he stopped walking. Someone else was there. Then he felt an eerie gust of wind on the back of his neck. He continued walking until he felt it again. It was warmer and fainter this time. He stopped again; his eyes enlarged, double their usual size when he realized it was not the wind, but the breath of another human being. Someone was behind him, following him with the stealth of a ghost.

He slowly turned around and came face to face with a disfigured being. Its face was scarred with little knots in its cheeks and forehead and its hair wildly strewn to the sides of his head. Its arms were covered in scratch marks, deep set lesions in the skin that were heavily infected. It wore a horrific, maledicted grin, its teeth missing or rotten. It leapt at him like a savage animal and grabbed him by the head, dragging him down.

To his surprise, Martin did not scream or flinch, but he reacted like an animal as well, attacking it head-on. From what Martin could tell, this beast did not possess any weapons. It was also very scrawny and undisciplined, attacking randomly, so he quickly managed to fight back and win. But he couldn't bear to shoot such a miserable creature. Even when it was pinned down, it licked its lips, saliva dripping down its chin, attempting to bite at his hands. Similar to what Lewis had done before, he lifted it up and knocked it unconscious with the butt of the rifle. The little beast sank to its knees and collapsed with a whimper onto the ground.

"Oh god," Martin whispered to himself, beginning to feel scared.

"Do you see what happens when we don't get our feed?" A voice came from behind him. Martin spun around to see a group of heavily built townspeople approach him, their eyes shining with hunger. He got himself up and pointed the rifle at them. Their leader, the fat man whom they had helped earlier in the day spoke slowly and clearly. "We tried to be good. We tried to stop feasting on our own kind. But then this happened. We couldn't hurt our people. We can't stop. You can't stop us."

"Stop right there." He commanded but they did not obey him. He stepped back, his eyes never leaving the pack of killers.

"Do you know who that was?" The fat man asked him calmly, his pace quickening. "Do you know who that sickly creature was?"

The question confused him at first, but then it dawned on him. Martin couldn't help but display a look of pity for the unconscious little mongrel lying on the road.

"That's your mother." He said, continuing backwards. "That's the woman who had the heart failure. That's the woman we tried to help."

"Ten points for Gryffindor." The man said sarcastically.

"I thought an ambulance had picked her up and taken her to the hospital?"

"She must have broken out of the car," The man shrugged with an apathetic look on his face. "After feeding on the ambulance crew I'm sure. Then she came back. The poor woman went insane by the end, claiming what we do isn't good and all. She tried to stop our ways, but you just can't. You can't leave this town. Once you've started our ways, there's no going back."

He walked away from the crowd, up to his immobile mother, and fiercely crushed her skull with the heel of his boot. Her skull smashed easily, and her brains leaked out onto the road. Her eyeballs turned to mush on the concrete. A couple of people ran up to lick up the insides of the lady, including the mother with the pram and the fat man's wife. Martin shivered and fought back the urge to vomit.

"Don't give me that look- she was as bad as we are. Don't show us your pity. After all, I'm sure you agree that she deserved to die." He said with a cackle. "As do all of you on this farm."

"I'm sure you can understand," The man said as they advanced forward again. Martin stepped back at a faster pace. As he was unable to take his eyes off the murderous group, he did not notice the stone behind him and painfully tripped over it. He fell back, landing on his back with a heavy thud. Ignoring his throbbing wound, he scrambled back on his feet, fixing the goggles upon his face. The rifle tumbled out of his hands and he struggled to pick it up. But he was not quick enough, for the man easily disarmed him by kicking the rifle far out of his immediate reach.

"Back away," Martin barked, having a difficult time controlling the pain in his side that had returned with a vengeance. The pain and the rising panic he felt did nothing to help him defend himself. "Get away from me!"

"After all," The man finished with a cruel smile. "Who doesn't love a good pot roast?"

Suddenly he threw himself at Martin with a growl. The others followed suit, violently grabbing at his shirt and his hair, trying to claw at his eyes to blind him. A couple were biting at his ankles like mad dogs and even growling a few times for emphasis.

Martin tried as hard as he could to fend them off, kicking and punching his way through the pack, trying to find the gun. But it was difficult with his injury and the townsfolk had lost all control and reason.

Then, a hand shot out from the crowd, socking him in the solar plexus and then directly at his gunshot wound. Martin recognized the man. He was the one who caught them trying to escape the barn, the one Lewis forcefully knocked senseless. He had a large gash on the side of his head and murder in his eyes. Martin felt his breathe escape his system as he collapsed involuntarily with a gasp.

The same man began choking him, his fingers digging deep into his skin, nearly crushing his windpipe. He sealed off all pathways for air to enter his lungs. As tears of pain rolled down his cheeks, he felt his vision grow dim and his strength leaving his body.

"I will personally skewer your body like a shish kebab and roast you on a spit until you're golden brown and dripping with your own fat." The man whispered into his ear, his hands somehow further tightening around his neck. Martin couldn't even scream. All he could do was stare at the man, feeling as if his eyeballs would pop out of their sockets at any moment. "Then, I'm going to carve you like a Christmas turkey and I will enjoy _every, single _moment of it."

_I'm going to die,_ Martin thought darkly as he waited to die. _I'm actually going to get strangled and then eaten by a bunch of cannibalistic fruit loops. That is one fucked up way to go…_

All of a sudden, he heard a gunshot. The smile on the man's face vanished and was replaced by a look of astonishment. His grip lessened and he dropped like a sack of flour on top of Martin, practically crushing him. Martin knew at once that the man was dead.

Gasping for air and coughing like a madman, Martin pushed the body off of him. His neck and lungs were on fire, spreading the pain throughout his whole body. He got up, ready to defend himself from his attackers when he realized that they weren't paying attention to him anymore, but at something else. Or someone else. Someone with a gun raised high up in the air. Martin stopped short when he saw who it was.

Wielding a gun in each hand and shooting at his attackers was his sister! With her hair mussed and sticking out in every direction, and her clothes torn and dirty, she looked worn out and heavily maltreated. She had a black eye and a swollen bottom lip, as well as multiple cuts on her neck and arms. However, her eyes shone brightly with a rage he had never seen before and her mouth curled up in a fierce snarl.

"Everyone, will you please lock your fingers, put your hands behind your heads and slowly get on your knees." She yelled at them. "I've got more than enough bullets for all of you and let me tell you, I've had some great experience with these bad boys-" She gave a quick wave with the guns. "I assure you that I will not miss. I'm also getting really peeved with this eating-people bullshit. So much as move a finger and heaven help me, I will pop a shell into your head."

The group stared at her, their mouths agape.

"Do it!" She said, pointing the gun at the fat man, her finger resting on the trigger.

The fat man, who was practically unarmed, did as he was told. The others listened to her as well.

Martin moved to stand beside his sister.

"Are you alright?" He asked-his voice full of concern. Then he added quietly, "Did they harm you in any serious way?"

Diana shook her head, knowing what he had meant by that.

"I'm fine, Martin." She said gently, her expression softening slightly but never taking her eyes off the group. "Where's Lewis?"

"Calling for back up," He whispered. "They should be arriving at any moment."

Diana nodded. They stood there for a few more minutes. While Diana kept guard of the group, Martin found the rifle the man had knocked out of his hands. He held it carefully against his chest.

They noticed headlights in the distance. It was an old pickup truck they did not recognize, but as it drew nearer they realized that the driver was Lewis.

"Diana!" Lewis said, rolling down the window. "You're okay!"

He noticed her shabby appearance, the guns in her hands, and the people kneeling before her.

"What the hell happened to you?" He asked. Diana smiled sheepishly.

"I got captured, thrown in the cellar, had part of my hair torn from my scalp, and listened to British rock. I was forced by gun-wielding men to perform an emergency Caesarean Section on a teenage girl with a pen knife and no anesthesia. Then I escaped by castrating a dude." She explained, ignoring Martin's expression of disbelief.

"And apparently you're also Rambo," he quipped.

Diana rolled her eyes.

"Ha! Very funny." She muttered.

"Where did you get that car?" Martin asked, frowning at the dilapidated machine. "What happened to the SUV?"

"You know how the wheels had the air let out of them," Lewis explained. "Well, I figured that after the back up arrived; we might need a mode of transportation. So, after I called the Center for extra help and grabbed some more equipment from the trunk of the SUV, I hotwired this truck and drove over to find you guys."

Martin nodded slowly, giving him an odd lock.

"That couldn't possibly be illegal…" Diana said sarcastically.

"People in glass houses, Diana," Lewis shot back and Diana conceded with a shrug.

Then they were surrounded by people in white. They came out of blue portals and were armed with hand lasers and other advanced pieces of technology. The townsfolk attempted to run, but the agents scurried around them with high-tech handcuffs, taking away all the town members in large pod-like paddy wagons.

At last the mission was over. They had completed the case and stopped the bad guys. They just weren't the kind they were used to. It was sad in that sense that for once the Center had to arrest creatures of the species that most of them were- human. Then again, the agents weren't sure if they really were the same species. They surely possessed the same biological and chemical makeup as Homo sapiens, but there was something that couldn't be looked over and Diana couldn't put her finger on it. She wanted to say it was their mental state, but it wasn't. At least, not completely. These people displayed the qualities of creatures she had never seen in any terrestrial or extraterrestrial species. Diana decided she would never understand, not matter how long she thought about it and that she didn't really want to try.

The final person they collected was the fat man. Lewis edgily approached him. He easily dodged a glop of spit that the man had sent in his direction.

"Look at me," Lewis said, physically budging the man's face with his hand so that their eyes met. "I want to know why you would continue doing this-eating people. I need to know why. You have to tell me."

The man gave a loud laugh, his eyes full of amusement. Leaning closer to Lewis, he spoke softly into his ear so that only he could hear what the man was saying.

"Wasn't that sandwich the best thing you've ever eaten?" The man murmured with a look of ecstasy. "That rich taste, those meaty, salty juices, it's something you just can't quit… If you hadn't found out that it was from a species closer to home, you would have asked for another sandwich. Then you would have had another one, and then another one, and then another one. _Then_, you would have stayed here with us. You would have joined us. I'm sure of it."

When Lewis did not respond, the man continued his explanation.

"You only hate us because you think we're committing some ethical crime. But what are ethics? I think that anyone could live our kind of lifestyle with just one taste of the stuff, you'll see. In fact, I'm willing to bet that every person in this world is like us already. It awakes the primal instincts in us that have been buried away so long ago by this new world of ours, Like undiscovered fossils, it hides in the shadows, waiting to be found and it gives us euphoria like you've never experienced. Forget a high, forget an orgasm, this is the real deal. Hot-blooded young men, sniffing out the good stuff, when in actuality, it has been right in front of their very noses. It always has been. It's been teaching them math and washing their cars. All they have to do is open their eyes. Open their minds and we could have a lot of fun. Then we wouldn't be the outcasts. We'd be the normal ones. And you would enjoy it every bit as much as we do…"

Lewis said nothing. He turned around sharply and walked away, leaving the other agents wondering what the man had said to him.

Martin, Lewis and Diana, as well as the other agents went back to the barn, where they freed the victims. It was both a heartbreaking and a heartwarming sight to see the young men and women finally released from their bonds. Many had to be led away into another car, where psychologists and other specialists were waiting for them. Most of the victims had trouble talking and tried to escape the counseling out of the sheer terror with all the people. The pregnant women were rushed to obstetricians and gynecologists to receive examinations and treatment. In yet another hidden room in the cellar, they found a bed crowded with newborn infants. The infants were quickly inspected, and it pained the agents to discover that most of them were dead.

Diana was especially traumatized when she saw the corpse of the girl whom she operated on. The girl's eyes were open and she lay sprawled on the floor of the room, marinating in her own blood and intestines. Her abdomen appeared to have been brutally sliced open, but she had managed to crawl close enough to the bed to see her baby for the last time. Her mouth was curled into a satisfied smile.

"I'm sorry I was late." She whispered to the girl, closing her eyes gently.

The baby was on the bed. Her eyes were closed and she did not move. Diana picked her up, embracing her in her arms. Martin and Lewis looked at each other and then they left the room to give her some privacy.

The baby was so small. Her lips were puckered up as if she had swallowed a sour candy. Yet, she did not move. She lay still in Diana's arms, cold. Diana felt excitement and anger drain out of her as fatigue and sorrow filled their places. She was too tired and emotionally exhausted to cry, so she sat on the stiff mattress and cradled the little girl, making sure to support her head and back. Finally, she let out a sigh and placed her gently on the mattress. She would call a couple of agents to arrange a body bag and take her away as she could not bear to do it herself. She got up and turned to walk away.

To her surprise, the baby began quietly crying. The cries were weak but they were cries all the same. She was malnourished but alive! Diana gave a squeal of happiness as she held the baby closer to her. Martin and Lewis entered the room again, confused by the sudden change of tone. Diana, still holding the baby, left the house and entered the pick-up truck with a huff. Martin and Lewis followed quickly behind. Starting the engine, they drove away, never looking back at the small town again.

"Let's go home, guys." She murmured to her partners and they nodded, agreeing entirely. "I think that's enough for one day."

_Words: 10,300+_

_AN: Holy snickerdoodle. There you have it folks, the penultimate chapter to this story. This took me a while to write and I hope you enjoy it! I'll be posting up the epilogue next week since I have exams. By the way, the first song in the story is "Who wants to live forever?" by Queen. The second song is "Changes" by David Bowie and one of the lines said in the earlier parts is from the song "Yer Blues" by the Beatles. I highly recommend listening to these songs… Also I am thinking of watching Highlander, so if anyone has seen the movie/TV series, please feel free to provide your feelings about it. _

_ Other than that my internet buddies, feel free to favourite, follow, review or whatever. Any questions can go straight to my PM box and I will make sure to answer them as quickly as possible._

_Cheers,_

_BOZ1310- July 26__th__, 2013_


	10. The End?

Diana walked into Billy's office and was greeted by the warm and inviting smiles of her fellow agents clad in their usual apparel. There was a pine tree in the corner of the room that was decorated with shiny tinsel, and colourful ornaments. Upon the top of the tree was a radioactive pinwheel that emitted strange noises and bright flashes of light every few seconds. Diana assumed that it was a gift from intergalactic leaders, who were unaware of the fact that earthlings could suffer from unexpected seizures brought by such random explosions of light. She also understood that it was a gift that Billy honoured greatly for fear that said aliens would change their minds about the peacemaking contract they had signed in the past.

She gave a small smile. She had left the Center after the case with the cannibals. She remembered why she had left the Center so many years ago and told her brother that she couldn't handle another case for a long time. He nodded understandingly, but she could tell he was disappointed. She left shortly after the discussion and they hadn't spoken a word to each other for nearly half a year.

She saw Martin, sitting on a bar stool, nursing what appeared to be a rum and coke. She gave a wave and a smile when he waved back after noticing her. She rushed over to join her brother.

"How are you doing?" She asked giving him a quick hug.

"I'm doing well." Martin said, placing his drink on a coaster. "Gosh, I haven't seen you in a while."

"Yeah, it's been nearly six months since the case." Diana admitted. "But I got the invitation to the annual Christmas party and I couldn't pass up the opportunity to come and visit you guys."

"Just the other day Java was asking about you and the baby. He was wondering if you were going to bring her to the party, but I explained that you probably weren't going to, since these parties always end up to be quite inappropriate." Martin said.

Martin was referring to the child that Diana had adopted from the case she took part in. The biological mother was killed by the murderers and Diana made the promise to look after the baby. She also made the promise to steer the baby away from the kind of life her mother had been forced to endure until her unnatural death. Martin knew how much Diana had cared for the baby after delivering her via C-section and after some thought, he had talked Billy and the Board of Directors into letting his sister adopt her. Diana named the child, Rhiannon.

"That's true. Bringing Rhiannon wouldn't have been a good idea." Diana agreed with a smirk, remembering the past Christmas parties held by the Center that she had attended when she was studying at Torrington. "They never did end well, did they?"

"By the way, the big guy uses pronouns now." Martin said with a grin. "Lewis and I have been teaching him the basics of grammar. I can officially say that Java speaks in grammatically correct sentences."

"Nice job!" Diana smiled. "Where is Lewis?"

Martin shrugged his shoulders.

"He's probably getting wasted on the alcohol that M.O.M brought."

"Hmmm… fair enough."

M.O.M had decided to attend the annual party this year having heard about Diana's return. Although she knew it was only temporary, she could not pass up the opportunity to see one of the favourite agents again.

She didn't bring any of her famous sherbet, but she did surprise everyone with a bottle of Sirius Swingers- a rare brand of potent extraterrestrial alcohol that had the reputation of causing head-splitting hangovers. After a few sips, most of the agents were too inebriated to complain. Diana and Martin were some of the only people to reject a cup. Diana, because she had to return home that same night and Martin, because of what had happened the last Christmas party. He still had smudges of permanent marker on certain parts of his body that he couldn't wash off.

"Does it scare you that she didn't age at all?" Diana asked. "Seriously, M.O.M looks the exact same from when she was our boss when we were teenagers."

"I'm willing to bet it's time travel." Martin said, jokingly. "Knowing M.O.M, she probably had some crazy new-age Botox treatment from Jupiter or something."

Diana laughed and turned to order a glass of water.

"Hey Diana, long time no see!" A voice called from behind. She felt a hand on her shoulder, spinning her around into a tight hug.

"Lewis, it's good to see you!" Diana gasped as she felt the air squeezed out of her lungs. Lewis had a large smile on his face, his eyes sparkling with mischief. He bent down to kiss her loudly on the cheek. Diana felt her heart melt for him. No matter how much she convinced herself otherwise, she knew she would always find him attractive. He appeared to be slightly intoxicated, his breath smelling sweet and tangy from the beverages he had been downing on all night. He wore a white Center uniform. Diana noticed that most of them wore the white uniforms, except for Martin who wore his signature flame-patterned shirt.

"I feel overdressed," Diana murmured.

"You look positively radiant." Lewis said sincerely, playing with her necklace. "Don't worry about all the guys in white. Even though it's Christmas, most of us are still on-call. After all, alien invasions wait for no one."

"I see…"

"But look! We all get customized party hats!" Lewis announced, putting his hat on his head with a giggle. "Mine has a propeller!"

Diana knew what it was like to be on-call during the holidays. When she was a resident at her hospital, she was often plagued with patients the attending physicians had pushed onto her so that they could return home and spend the night with their loved ones. However, now that she was an attending and she could easily return the favour, she did with full force.

"How are mom and dad?" Martin asked.

"They are happy and well. Although, we ought to visit them sometimes," Diana said, "They miss you, Martin-especially dad."

"I'll give them a call tonight." Martin said, with an odd expression on his face. He looked happy and ashamed at the same time. "But, I bet you anything that dad and I are going to be fighting within a minute of talking to each other."

"That's family for you." Lewis said, sadly. He took another shot before continuing. "I ought to call my parents as well. I haven't talked to them in years."

"I'm sure they'll be glad to hear your voice." Diana reassured him, steering Lewis away from the bottle. "They must be worried sick about you."

Lewis made an unintelligent noise and lit a cigar. He took a couple of puffs and sighed with pleasure, blowing smoke rings in every direction. Diana coughed loudly, fanning the smoke away. Martin ignored the behaviour and changed the conversation.

"How's the love life?" Martin asked. "Find anyone yet?"

Diana blushed slightly, fiddling with her earrings.

"Yes actually," She explained matter-of-factly. "His name is Phil. He's a neurologist at my hospital. I met him when I took Rhiannon for her check-up. We've been dating for a couple of months now."

"Congratulations, you're no longer a social leper! And he's rich!" Martin teased. Diana rolled her eyes. "How is he with Rhiannon?"

"He loves her," Diana said. "He was an only child so he's having fun taking care of a kid. He's absolutely wonderful. He's kind and smart and really funny. The only setback is that he suffers from a mild case of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder."

"Great minds think alike!" Martin said. Diana punched him hard in the arm. "I was only kidding, Di!"

"There's nothing wrong with OCD." She said defensively. "In fact, my house has never been so spotless! Also, I never have to worry about changing Rhiannon's diapers or cleaning up after her. He's got a sixth sense about her future messes and hovers over them like a ninja. The only problem is that he takes half an hour to change her which means I have to schedule her feeding whenever we want to go out."

"I once had a boyfriend who was a crackhead." Lewis said as his voice slurred when the alcohol took its effect. "He hid it well though. In fact, I didn't even know about it until the fateful morning when I woke up and found out that he had shaved off my eyebrows and had stolen my fillings to pay for meth. It wasn't for him though. He was apparently also a dealer."

"I don't think that's the same thing, Lewis." Martin said, taking away his glass. Diana stared at him strangely unable to say anything helpful.

"Also, why did you name your kid, Rhiannon?" He asked Diana. "It's not the most common of names."

"She was a figure in Welsh mythology and could be identified as Epona, a Celtic Goddess." Diana explained. "Rhiannon was a beautiful and bountiful queen who was the mother of a great warrior."

"Diana just really likes Fleetwood Mac." Martin whispered conspiratorially.

"That's not the reason why I named her that!" Diana groaned. "And for your information, Fleetwood Mac is a great band!"

Lewis scoffed.

"Yeah, if you're your father!"

"She also likes Chilliwack," Martin added.

"What the hell is a Chilliwack?"

"Please Martin, I've caught you singing to Fly at Night." Diana said. Martin didn't respond, looking at his drink intently.

"What were the other names you thought of?" Lewis asked with a smirk. "Sharona?"

"Angie?" Martin joined in.

"Roxanne?"

"Sherry?"

"Barbara Ann?"

"Okay, I get it, very funny." Diana said. "I think it's a wonderful name and I think it suits her very much, so shut up."

The boys stopped their teasing.

"I can't believe that case was that long ago," Lewis said, breaking the silence. "Come back and solve another mystery with us again, Diana. I've really missed you!"

"Thanks, but I think I'll have to wait a little longer." Diana said, looking at Martin when she said the words. Martin nodded.

"Do you want to know what I called them?" Lewis asked and continued before Diana could respond. "Cereal Killers. Get it? It's because people eat cereal and they ate people. It really puts a new spin on the phrase, 'You are what you eat"."

"You're really drunk, aren't you?" Diana inquired with a laugh when Lewis struggled to nod.

"Yes, I am." Lewis giggled, getting up to leave. "Now if you'll excuse me, I am going to go over there and chat that guy up, get his number, and get a little lucky tonight if you know what I mean."

"Have fun!" Martin said, watching his friend stumble his way into the crowd. He turned to his sister with a grin on his face. "Do you want to make a bet?"

"If it's about the fact that Lewis has gone to flirt with the tree, I think I'll pass." Diana said. "How long do you think it'll take before he notices?"

"Hopefully before the morning."

_Words: 2000+_

_AN: So this chapter is the epilogue of this story. It was purely for fun and has no part in the actual plot. Overall, I think it turned out pretty well. I hope that you have enjoyed my OC! Also, free cookies for the people who can name the bands of the songs with the titles as girl names in the middle of this story. _

_ Strangely enough, Rhiannon the Welsh mythological character was actually accused of killing and eating her own child. I did not know this before writing this chapter. Weird connections… _

_ Other than that my internet buddies, feel free to favourite, follow, review or whatever. Any questions can go straight to my PM box and I will make sure to answer them as quickly as possible. _

_I really hope that you have enjoyed reading this story!_

_Cheers,_

_BOZ1310- July 28__th__, 2013_


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